Nobody told Me the rules
by Zaxaramas
Summary: An avid Harry Potter fan gets dropped into the wizarding world. Metamorphing, AU goodness. Skewed ages
1. Chapter 1: Magical Maladies and Old Face

**A/N: This isn't a self insert, Zack is not me nor am i Zack. I write this from his PoV because it's easy. It's not well written so turn back now if you're here for something good.**

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><p>Chapter 1: Magical Maladies and Old Faces<p>

August 1st 1991, Today is the day I get to leave St. Mungos. I was surprised to find myself in the wizarding hospital, having believed it to be fiction just a week ago. It was almost poetic when I was informed that my fictitious parents died in a car crash. Normally I would have been concerned, but when frowning witches and wizards were running wands over my body, I was on edge.

So, to recount what's been going on, I woke up on the first floor of St. Mungos a week ago. From what the Aurors have told me, a few hippogryphs escaped a reserve and ravaged a few cars on a motorway before they were captured. The car I was travelling in was hit by another car and sent it off the road, killing several people. When the Aurors arrived they performed a scan for any magical persons, they found me. I don't think they were expecting an ignorant muggleborn wizard when they took me to St. Mungos.

Yesterday they informed me that Professor Flitwick of Hogwarts was coming here as he was one of the few people in Britain that could explain why the healers were frowning so much, as well as doubling as my escort. Although no one has told me anything more than a few of my bones were fractured.

The room I have called home for a week is fairly spacious, a large bed and side table and an adjoining on-suite. I have a window that supposedly overlooks a muggle street. I can't see any staff that would stop me getting up, so I might as well see what view I have. Throwing away my cover I notice that the room is fairly chilly, possibly a heating charm on the duvet.

Swinging my legs to get up didn't work very well as I'm not used to being a scrawny eleven year-old. Far too much force caused me to crumple onto the floor, evidently this body hasn't fully healed from the hippogryph incident. Dull aching attests to it.

"Fucking window" I grumble out.

Giving my body a quick once over, I cross over to the window. The muggles across the road don't even spare the hospital a look, where as the ones on this side of the road disappear at one end and appear at the other, almost like the space the hospital takes up is folded to the muggles. It looks almost peaceful from up here.

Suddenly, a large family of redheads appear in a heap.

"The Weasleys" I mutter, allowing myself a small grin.

As the untangle themselves from what I assume was a portkey, I see Molly berating Fred and George, evidently my window has some sort of sound dampening spell on it as I can't hear what she says. If I were to have to guess, judging by the way an eleven year-old Ron Weasley was covering his face, the twins had done something.

I tighten my bathrobe around me and grab a walking stick from the umbrella stand, I've no need for it, but you never know when you might need such a thing. Luckily they don't need to lock my room so the handle twists and opens. The silence of my room is broken as the door opens, apparently whatever was holding back the cacophony of the hospital doesn't work when the door is open.

The dull roar reaches my ears. The bustling staff and whimpers of patients makes me realise that the silence was wonderful.

Navigating the crowds of people, in my blue and white stripped pyjama bottoms and bathrobe, I headed towards the elevators. The ground floor is where the check-in is as well as the ward for artefact injuries. As I enter, I press the ground floor button. At first nothing seems to happen. I debate pressing it again as I can't feel any movement.

After a few more seconds the doors spring open, admitting the Weasleys. Arthur, Bill, Charlie, and Percy are missing from the crowd. I have to fight down a smile seeing that Ron is sporting a 2 foot long tongue. I lean over and press the button for the third floor; Potion and Plant Poisoning. Molly turns to look at Me.

"Thank You, Dear" She says with a smile. I nod back to her as she turns to berate a snickering pair of twins.

"I've told you time and time again! Don't feed your ridiculous sweets to your brother!"

She says loudly. I notice Ginny was smiling whilst regarding me with curiosity. I wink at her, causing her to blush and become suddenly interested in the floor.

"It's not our fault Mum!" Fred said. Or maybe it's George, I'll never know.

"He shouldn't have been in our room!" The other said

"We can't be held responsible if he eats thing she shouldn't!" The first one said

"Enough of this boys, If you hadn't made them in the first place then we wouldn't be in this mess!" Molly finished with a glare that had them suitably cowed. It appears that the twins have already made their "Ton-tounge toffees".

The doors slide open, despite the lack of motion that muggle elevators have. I wonder if the elevators here move at all, or if the door moves to different floors.

Molly ushers along Ron and Ginny as the twins shuffle out of the elevator. As Fred and George see them disappear around the corner they looked at each other for moment before bursting out in laughter. I quickly join in with what I'd held back in front of Molly.

"I take it you two did that to, Ron was it?" I say wiping the tears from my eyes

"That we did" Twin one said

"Although truly he did it to himself" the other chuckled

"We can't be responsible human food bin" The first said with a grin

"Zack Jackson" I say holding a hand out to both twins

"Fred and " The first started

"George Weasley" The second twin finished

"This is like watching a comedy duo" I mutter, shaking two hands, then crossing my arms to shake the hand of the other.

"We've not seen you around Hogwarts before"

"and trust me when we says we've seen everyone around Hogwarts"

My give my head a quick shake.

"I start my first year in September" I tell the pair

"Ah, another firsty to join the fray" Fred or George started, I'm never going to figure it out

"Perhaps we'll have another Gryffindor, oh brother mine"

"Gryffindor?" I ask, deciding to play my part of the muggleborn

"That" A voice squeaked from behind me "Is one of the houses of Hogwarts" it finished. After jumping a few inches of the ground in fright, I look behind me to see a small, black haired man in smart robes looking at me with a smirk.

"Professor Flitwick?" I ask after the twins are done laughing at me.

"Yes Mr. Jackson, I will be escorting You to Diagon Alley today, after we take care of business here." He tells me as I hand him my Hogwarts letter. "The healers told me to come and fetch You, although what you are doing on the third floor, I'm not quite sure" He says with an arched eyebrow.

"I was in the elevator when a boy with a long tongue came in, I followed these two because the nurses here are not great for conversation" I tell him whilst running my finger through my hair as a nurse scowls at me.

"Well, Let's see what the healers needed me for" He tells me as he heads towards the elevator.

"I guess I'll see you two at Hogwarts?" I turn to the twins "Don't look now, but I think Your mother is coming" I tell them with a smirk

They whip round with expressions of horror, only to see a distinct lack of their mother. I take this moment to catch up to Flitwick, Just as we reach the elevator I hear

"I do believe we've been had, Fred"


	2. Chapter 2: Magical Blocks

Chapter 2: Magical Blocks

We entered the elevator, I pressed the first floor button with the walking stick, To which the short Professor chuckled at. I decide that he could be one of the few that could understand my predicament about the elevators

"Say Professor" I started "Does this elevator move? Or is the door moving to other floors?"

He regarded me with an expression of glee.

"I do hope You are in Ravenclaw" He says with a short laughing

"Ravenclaw, Sir?" Playing my thick part

"Another of the houses of Hogwarts, I am Ravenclaw's head of house, We prize knowledge and questions like you just asked indicates you might do well there."He explains. "Now, to answer your question, this elevator is a small pocket of space, It doesn't move, but as you said, the door moves. I do believe that the journey is charmed in such a way that you arrive on the floor when is convenient, so you do not run into the last people to enter through the doorway."

As if by magic, the doors slid open, revealing the first floor. A few new people were now sitting on benches holding various parts of their bodies whilst moaning. A few missing fingers here and there.

I followed the small man to one of the healers offices. Head Healer P. Hutcherson. The office was fairly large, a big desk dominated the room and the walls were lined with bookshelves full of books, my eyes lit up upon seeing them. The healer was sitting in the large chair behind the desk, he looked to be signing various documents before he looked up.

"Ah, Professor" He greeted as he shook the small man's hand "It's good to see you. In good health I trust?"

"Very well thank you Paul, I see you have made Head Healer" Flitwick said, returning the pleasantries. "I received Your owl last night, What seems to be the problem with Mr. Jackson?"

This got my attention.

"We've run some scans and run into an old magical block." Healer Hutcherson began. "Now, We sometimes find magical blocks on muggleborn witches and wizards, it just means that it was put in place as a baby to keep the levels of accidental magic down, It's not commonly practised, but we see it from time to time"

This all made sense in my head. Put the block on muggleborns to keep them and their family safe.

Finding my voice, I asked "What's the problem then?"

"I think it would be best if Filius performed a scan and told you, His expertise in charms could be the key to unlocking this block" Hutcherson told me.

Flitwick motioned for me to stand, he pointed his wand at the floor and held out left hand out, palm facing up.

"May I?" He asked. The alien gesture for asking consent triggered in my head as I nodded my acceptance. He began to mutter in what I assumed to be Latin before his eyes widened.

"I can see why I was asked here" He spoke softly.

Waving his wand at me, he formed 3 orbs of light in front of me. Two green, the other one pink. This seemed to catch the healers attention, He leaned on his desk to get a better look.

"Now," The Professor started "These orbs of light indicate any long term spells keyed into your magical signature." This appears to be his lecture mode. "The first green one is what we call the trace. It is how we monitor when under-age wizards or witches cast spells in muggle areas. Any magical person under the age of 17 is prohibited from using magic outside of school in muggle areas, so the best we can do it to have relay stations all over the country to alert us to when magic is used in a certain zone"

I nodded my head, the trace appears to be on this body, it makes sense.

He continued "This second green orb is the magical block that Paul mention earlier, This was likely put on just after you were born to stop any accidental magic from occurring. Note the slightly yellow tendrils of light, this is probably where it was tested when the muggle motorcar you were in was attacked, your magic tried to protect you and I strained the block. I believe I can remove this with ease." He glanced over to the healer, who nodded.

Flitwick poked the tip of his wand at the second orb of light and muttered something I couldn't make out. There was a brief flash before the orb fizzled out. A numbing sensation spread over my body as the block was lifted along with a coppery taste on my tongue.

He briefly poked the pink orb, a few tendrils flicked out towards his wand.

Hutcherson spoke "This spell is what has baffled us here. We know it's some kind of block, but that's as far as we have gotten with identifying it." He frowned towards the end.

Professor Flitwick's eyes widened and the side of his mouth turned up. It looks like he enjoys a challenge. He began to wave his wand over various points of my chest. Wondering what the orb would feel like, I reached out to it, he smacked my hand away from it.

"Well, well, well" The tiny man muttered "Very interesting indeed. This is a rare type of magical block that was once used to dampen shape-shifting abilities of prisoners in the days of old" I paled slightly at this "Such as blocking the talent of animagi" The healer gasped at this

"Ani-what?" I asked whilst looking at him expectantly

"An animagus is a wizard or witch that, though transfiguration, can turn themselves into an animal" He supplied

"Well that's pretty cool" I said, slightly awed

"Yes well, it's rather hard to do, but this particular block isn't aimed at animals at all. It appears to be keyed for humans" Flitwick adjourned a thinking expression, I could almost hear his brain whirring. Hutcherson started to splutter.

"Surely You don't mean _that_?" He said with a barely suppressed expression of glee

"I am thinking of _that_ very thing" Flitwick replied with a smile

"Erm ... Can someone tell me what _that_ is?" I asked. In the back of my mind I had an idea, but I can't seem any more knowledgeable than any other eleven year old muggleborn.

The Professor chuckled at this "Zack. There is a very rare ability called metamorphagus. They are natural shape shifters." My mind was spinning by this point.

"It shows up in a few people very few decades, only two other metamorphagus currently live in Europe. One man that can change his eye colour and hair colour, he is fairly old. The only other happens to be a young girl that will be starting Hogwarts on September 1st with You. She can change almost every part of her body along with height changes to small extents."

Starting at the same time as me? I thought Tonks was supposed to be a few years older. Hutcherson's voice brought me out of my musings.

"It's very unlikely that you will have as much control as she does. Filius will be able to remove the block?" He said expectantly.

Flitwick began waving his wand again with a heavy frown. "It's not going to be easy, I'll say ..." He was cut off as the pink orb … popped.

There was a burst of light as it seemed to burst. There was enough force to knock me on my arse and Flitwick back into his chair as it slid across the room. He regained his bearings somewhat and rushed over to me, not realising that the other green orb dispersed as the pink one burst.

"Mr. Jackson, are you all right?" He said quickly, concern on his face.

"No Sir" I said "I'm half left"

He looked at me for a moment before laughing. It doesn't seem like he does anything by half as joined me on the floor as we laughed. Hutcherson was pulled out of his reverie as he threw his head back and stared laughing along with us.

As we began to cool down and put chairs back in there places I began to realise what was happening. Firstly, If Tonks was anything to go by, some of the ages appeared to not be 'canon'. The second big thing was that Flitwick unknowingly just destroyed my trace, and the third is that I am a metamorphagus. Cool.


	3. Chapter 3: Diagon Alley and the Boy-Who-

Chapter 3: Diagon Alley and the Boy-Who-Lived

Being a metamorph was nothing like I had expected. One of the healers said that it took a great deal of work to learn how to do it and concentration to hold the forms. Much to my surprise, it's really easy, stupidly so. I merely think about what I want to change and it stays that way until I tell it to go back.

Hair colour, eye colour, skin colour, well anything coloured, including tongues, Are the easiest, mainly because it creates no feeling. It's a simple pigment change. When I started playing around with muscles I started to feel the changes, the stretching of skin, the muscles rippling under my skin. I just have to remember to get the skin to grow along with muscles.

Doing bones has it's limits, I don't want to grow my ribs through my lungs so I only tried to grow everything at the same time, I got to about 6 foot before I couldn't push any further, pretty good for an eleven year-old. I can also shrink down to Flitwick's height, although I find myself short for breath, haven't quite got the fine control over my lungs yet.

I can see it being helpful for things like running, give myself bigger lungs, more muscles. The healers thought I'd need muscles in the first place, but it turns out I can just bring muscles into existence. I had a chat with one of the nurses about making a second mouth to constantly breath out of and use my first mouth to breath in, no puffing, just a constant stream of air to my lungs.

They put me on the magical equivalent of a treadmill and got me to run, turns out I can expel the lactic acid build up and sweat it out.

After signing some documents saying I wouldn't take on the form of ministry officials with the intent of slander, very precise, Flitwick informed me it was time to go to Diagon Alley.

I checked out of the hospital in my new 'base' form. It was really just a slightly muscled out and taller version of myself, I might have made my eyes a bit more green than they usually were, but no one needed to know that. I also opted to have vivid blue hair, No point in having a boring colour if I can have blue, right?

I winked at the intern at the check-in desk, she blushed and looked down with a smile. No one winks in real life, but I'll be damned if I don't try and change that.

"Ready Mr. Jackson?" Flitwick spoke up from beside me with a dark smile

"Uh" I stuttered "I suppose so?" Sounding very unsure, When in reality I was pretty sure I was about to be treated to apparition.

I shrank down a bit and grasped his arm.

My vision suddenly cut of as I felt myself being squeezed. It started off at my hand where I held Flitwick's arm and travelled up my arm and across my body. Before I could really register how uncomfortable it felt I was slammed down on a stone floor.

It appears I take after Tonks in my ability to keep my balance.

Flitwick still had his grin in place as he pulled my up with surprising strength.

"Not to worry, Zack. The first time is always a bit unsteady. Most people vomit." He informed me. The only reason I hadn't vomited was because I'd closed my stomach off from the rest of my body when I gripped his arm.

We walked round the corner only to find muggles acting the same as they'd done outside St. Mungos. They wouldn't even look at the pub. The famous Leaky Cauldron.

"Professor, Do you really use cauldrons? What use would a leaky one be? And what would cause a cauldron to leak?" I remembering to be a muggleborn.

The small man began to chuckle as he spoke "Yes we use cauldrons. If you wanted to leave a trail of potion, a leaky one would save you spooning the brew out. And if my colleges words are anything to go by 'Dunderheads' ruin cauldrons."

Before I could ask about the dunderheads, Flitwick pushed open the door to the pub.

It wasn't well lit, not dark enough to squint, but the lack of windows made it a bit dim. It was pretty packed, Many of the patrons were drinking thick smelling liquids, I changed the insides of my nose back to that of a human. Whilst it looked the same on the outside, I had a much more powerful sense of smell, perhaps that of a dog. With so many people around it was incredibly unpleasant.

The barman, Tom, grinned and waved us over.

"G'Mornin' Professor" He called to us.

"Ah, Tom McBridge" He replied "Graduating class of 1950, correct?"

"Thas right Professor" His grin widened if possible "Got an 'O' in charms n' me newts thanks to yeh" He stated proudly

"Come now, Tom. You did all the hard work. Zack, This is Tom, an old student of mine. He runs the bar of the Leaky Cauldron." Flitwick explained

Tom held out his hand to me "Zack Jackson" I explain. I noted that his hands are incredibly well maintained, neat cuticles and clean fingernails. Not what I would expect from a barkeep, but I imagine being good at charms means that he does it without really paying attention.

"Another firs' year I take it?" He queried, I simply nodded.

Tom's eyes focused on something over my shoulder. I could fell the air shift.

"Ah, Hagrid. The usual I presume?" He smiled

The giant of a man dominated the surrounding area, some of the patrons were looking up at him, whilst some didn't spare him a second glance, obviously used to his enormity. I looked up at him, and sure enough, beard and all, was Hagrid. His huge coat squeaked a bit as he shuffled forward.

"No thanks, Tom. I'm on official Hogwarts business." Hagrid boomed.

"Just helping Harry 'ere get his school supplies" He continued in a loud voice.

This caused all the people in the pub to go silent and look at the small boy behind Hagrid. I took this time to glance around the pub, I saw Quirrel with a sour expression on his face and Mundungus Fletcher in a shadowy corner, I see him taking the galleons and whatever he was selling off the table whilst the attention is on Harry before running off.

The mad rush to touch Harry Potter begins, people were pushing, shoving and shouting, all trying to shake hands with the Boy-Who-Lived. He dutifully shook the hands of people that got to him, one hag like women tried to get a lock of his hair, only to be thrown away by Hagrid.

"Thas enough out o' You lot! Y'should be ashamed o' yerselves, bullrushing a child like tha'!" Roared a very angry Rubeus Hagrid.

As the crowds shuffled away from the Boy-Who-Lived, Hagrid began to calm down as Flitwick and myself ventured over. Hagrid immediately cheered up.

"'Ello Perfessor! Didn't notice You there" Not seeming to realise the potential slight at his height. Flitwick took it in good nature.

"Hello Hagrid. It would appear we are both escorting first years today, This is Zack Jackson" He indicated to me

Hagrid beamed down at me "'Ello!" He shook my hand roughly "I'm Rubeus Hagrid, Gamekeeper and Keeper o' keys for Hogwarts" He boomed.

"Hello Professor" I replied, rubbing my wrist from the hand shake

"O, non 'o tha' now, Jest Hagrid" He smiled at me again before waving a hand towards Harry. "This is Harry Potter, He's a first year like yerself"

I looked at Harry Potter properly for the first time. In my peripheral vision I could see his over sized clothes and messy hair, I figured he wouldn't appreciate me gawking at his scar, so I merely looked at his eyes and shook his hand. So many hands to shake.

After a brief exchange between Hagrid and my own escort, it was decided we would go to the bank first. Since I have no money, this worried me. Hagrid pushed a path through the pub to a brick wall through a doorway with no door.

Flitwick tapped the only three bricks that stood out, it seems that after decades of daily tappings had taken a toll in the bricks, leaving them slightly lighter than the others.

The effect was pretty cool. The bricks started to twist outward and folded away creating two pillars framing the newly created door.

"Nifty" I muttered, mostly to myself, earning a chuckle from Flitwick.

The alley was a sight to behold. Witches and wizards darting between shops and the dull murmur only adding to the charm. Old witches shouting about sales on liver of various animals, a group of children gushing over the newest racing broom, the Nimbus 2000. Harry and I were guided down the street, craning out neck, trying to bring in as much information as we would manage. At the far end of the street I could see Ollivanders wand shop. To my left was Eyelops owl emporium and next to Madam Malkins Robe shop was the crowning jewel. Gringotts.

Standing slightly wonky, only magic keeping it up no doubt. It stood a good two floors above any other shop.

A loud burst of cheers erupted down the street in front of Quality Quidditch Supplies as an owner of a brand new Nimbus 2000 walked out the door holding the broom high. Being completely ignorant about brooms, I could only guess what made this broom better than others. It must be faster than it's predecessors in order to be a racing broom no doubt. It never claimed to be for Quidditch, So I can only assume it's not good for corners.

"Professor" I say to Flitwick "What makes this broom better than others? More importantly, what makes it fly?" Genuine questions.

Hagrid let out a bark of laughter "Looks like You got yer latest Raven there, Perfessor!" Flitwick laughed along with him. I gave Harry a shrug.

"Nimbus Broom Co. try to balance their brooms between manoeuvrability and speed, Making them ideal Quidditch brooms. This particular one is designed for chasers as it's slightly better for speed, rather than the quick turning brooms made for seekers." I nodded at this. Chasers wouldn't need turning brooms as much as a seeker would, having to chase the snitch, it's different than to trying to get the quaffle from one side of the pitch to the other. Very logical for wizards.

Brought back to Diagon Alley by Flitwick clearing his throat, he continued his explanation.

"As to what makes them fly, There is a method of imbuing permanent spell effects into an object, this is called enchanting. It's different to charming something as it uses more power and occasionally a reagent, such as fur, blood or feathers. Enchants last longer than charms, it is said that a philosophers stone can create permanent enchantments." This caught my attention. I remembered that Hagrid was to collect the stone from Gringotts today. I almost missed Flitwick exchanging a look with Hagrid.

I realised this just as we were walking into the bank. The floor was made of highly polished marble. In fact the whole building seemed to be made out of the same marble.

"Key please" A goblin barked at Hagrid when he asked about Harry's vault. He began to did through his pockets until he pulled out a small golden key. "Vault 687. Potter trust vault"

"Ah" Hagrid said, pulling out a small piece of paper and exchanging a look with Flitwick. "This is about you-know-what, in vault you-know-which." The goblin merely nodded after reading it.

"Master Flitwick, May heads roll. Key" Flitwick gave a bow at the honorific and handed over silver key. "Vault 800. Hogwarts Scholarship Vault. GRIPHOOK!"

Griphook quickly ran over. "Vaults 687, 713, 800"

"Yessir" He barked out as he lead us to the carts.

"Scholarship vault?" I asked curiously.

"I owled Headmaster Dumbledore whilst the healers were running tests on you. He agreed to bring you into the scholarship program due to your … unique skills and familial position"

Obviously seeing the blank look on my face, he continued as the cart started to lurch forward.

"Metamorph orphan, Mr. Jackson. 1000 galleons to start with and an additional 100 Galleons a month into your vault to use as you see fit. Hogwarts fees already paid for." He all but yelled at me.

The cart stopped and Griphook jumped out first.

"Vault 687" He barked. Moving the keyhole cover aside he twisted the key to open the huge vault door.


	4. Chapter 4: The Vaults and Wands

Chapter 4: The Vaults and Wands

Gold. So much gold.

I've never seen more gold than a necklace or a watch. This is pretty incredible. Mountainous piles of gold taller than Hagrid, stacks of silver strewn across the floor and dull brown piles of coins all over the place. It was pretty clear that Harry was minted.

All of us bar Griphook seemed entranced by the gold. "You may take as much as you like." He told Harry, then started grinning "For 10 galleons you can have a bottomless bag that only you can take from."

Harry merely nodded before bringing 10 golden coins to Griphook after Hagrid explained the coinage. Griphook handed him the bag and instructed him to put a drop of blood onto the drawstring to bind it to him. After a quick pin prick, The drawstring changed from white to gold. Then, with a grin, Harry ran into the vault and started shovelling all types of coins into the bag.

I spun round and looked along the track. It was dark, it seems the only source of light in the tunnels were the lights on the front of the carts. Along this walkway were a few other vaults, I assume to be 688 and 686 beside us, but I wouldn't put it past wizards to do their own thing.

After Harry had devoured one of the mountains of gold and a fair few of the other coins, we got back in the cart and headed on to vault 713.

The cart stopped suddenly, causing me to fall onto the cart floor, making my hair cycle from red through to my normal blue. I saw Harry gaping like a fish and smirked.

"I'm what's called a metamorphagus, It means I can change what I look like." I demonstrated by changing into Harry's twin.

I feigned his voice on "Oh, I'm Harry Potter, I can swim in the gold in my vault." Not overly sure why I did it with a Welsh accent, but it got me a round of laughs.

Changing back as Hagrid got into the cart after collecting the stone, We set off to Vault 800. With a very green looking Hagrid.

I found myself splayed out on the floor again as we stopped.

"Damn things should have cushions on the floor." I grumbled

"Where would be the fun in that?" Griphook asked as I glared at him

Flitwick ushered me onto the walkway before vault 800.

Griphook twisted the delicate key, revealing … nothing,

Flitwick saw my face and laughed.

"Only Hogwarts staff can see into this vault. I shall go and grab the starting funds and bring out the paperwork for the monthly transfers. Then You have to sign a few papers to open up your own vault."

He disappeared into the shadows and reappeared with a stack of papers and a sack of gold.

We hopped back into the cart and started to head to the surface. Hagrid said they would wait for us in the lobby whilst I opened a new account with Gringotts.

We followed Griphook to an office with more wizards than goblins in.

After Flitwick exchanged a few non-English words to a goblin, I started to sign papers. Just general things about not stealing from Gringotts, nor attacking their staff members. Why anyone would try and attack the armour glad guards, I don't know.

I was given a silver key attached to chain. After seeing the goblin give it a firm tugs, I assumed it was unbreakable, If it were silver it would have broken spectacularly.

"Enchanted, Only you may touch it" He said to me

I slipped it around my neck.

Flitwick and I headed back out of the lobby to meet Hagrid and Harry, we then went to Madam Malkin's whilst Hagrid headed up to the Cauldron for a pick-me-up.

I had 1000 galleons in my money bag. I could get the three robes i'd need for Hogwarts for just 100 galleons, these resized themselves too, so I figured the more expensive ones were worth the gold.

Professor Flitwick said he would go and get our potion supplies and telescopes whilst we were getting fitted for our robes.

As if on queue Draco Malfoy's voice echoed through the shop as we were lead into the fitting room. He appeared to have be poke by a fitting pin.

"Be more careful where you point those things! Father will be furious!" He sneered

Harry and I exchanged a look, he was probably likening the boy to his cousin, whereas he was just Malfoy to me.

Measuring tapes snaked around my body, I decided to screw around with them by changing my size, Harry found it funny, Madam Malkin didn't.

"Bah, Stop doing that! These tapes are fragile!" She wailed at me. "Second time today we've had a metamorph in here! My poor tapes won't handle it!" Before she began casting sewing spells and weaving bright green and blue glowing thread into my new robes, no doubt to make them change to fit me, no matter what I changed into, The price went up by 10 galleons. I had given Flitwick 40 galleons to get my potion stuffs and books.

Draco went into his spiel about houses and Quidditch to Harry whilst they were fitted. Harry merely gave non-committal nods and grunts as Draco spoke mostly to himself.

We paid for the new robes as we headed to the trunk shop, now joined by Hagrid.

As I pushed the door open I noticed that we were the only people there. I could smell the leather and wood in the shop, the air was thicker than outside.

"Hagrid!" The elderly shop keep called to us. "Two more for trunks I presume?" He said looking at my hair.

"Thas right Roger."

"A couple of standard trunks then?" 'Roger' asked looking at Harry and I. He nodded, but I wanted something more.

"What about non-standard trunks?" I asked. "Places to keep my books? Perhaps a way to keep potions and ingredients fresh? Maybe something to freshen up my clothes. What abou ..." I ways cut off by him waving his hands.

"A bit more than a standard one for you Raven" He said with a wink."Places for book, potions and all sorts of things" Harry and Hagrid were currently with the sales assistant looking over some trunks. "Maybe some extra security?" He said regarding me closely.

"That'd be great" I replied, knowing this would cost me, but I only had my wand and maybe a pet to go, so I could burn some gold on a solid trunk.

He lead me into another room piled high with trunks.

"All of these have what you need, except the security, those charms tend to degrade if I don't key them to some one in an hour of creating them, So I put them on when they are purchased." The old man informed me.

I picked one that was apparently bound with opal-eye dragon skin. It was almost white, with a purple trim round the edges.

300 galleons and one drop of blood later, we headed to the bookshop to find Flitwick. He had picked up my books, which I placed in my book compartment, before tapping the shrinking rune on the side. The trunk seemed to fold into itself as it turned into the size of a match box.

"A changing trunk for a changing wizard" Flitwick quipped.

I dashed about the shop picking up all sorts of books from runes to potions, dueling and warding. A particularly old looking book entitled "Seeing Magic By Roger Harris" caught my eye. I grabbed a few about magical theory before heading to the front of the store. The girl working the desk eyed me suspiciously when seeing the magical theory books.

"You know these are meant for NEWT student at Hogwarts right? I just got mine yesterday" She said to me. " You can't be more than second year"

"I've not even set foot in Hogwarts yet" I told her with a grin. "I can't just leave this poor book, neglected in a bookshop now, can I?"

She finished … wanding my books "112 galleons, 3 sickles and I suppose i'll be seeing you in my house when you get there, I'm head girl this year" She told me proudly.

I looked at her name tag, which gave me a slight excuse to look over her ample chest. 'Chloe Turpin'

"Well, Head Girl Turpin" I tell her "We might be seeing a lot of each other" I wink at her before spinning to go out of the shop, but a metamorph spinning? ' ' has stopped responding. I fell over, face down. Chloe starts to giggle as she helps me up, I just walk it off.

"Smooth" Harry smirks at me.

"Quiet you, or next time they will see you falling over" I tell him as my hair matches his black mop. He smiles and walks over to Hagrid.

"Two more stops" He tells us as Flitwick hands us our potion supplies "Firs' Magical Menagerie, see if any of em stand out to ye" He looks excited at the prospect "Then we can get yer wands!" I share the excitement now.

We walk back down the alley, the guards in front of Gringotts stand to attention as Flitwick walks by. A quick salute and "At ease" the goblins bow.

I could hear the pet shop before I could see it, even with normal ears. It wasn't the animals though, it was Lucius Malfoy and Arthur Weasley going at it with fists. Arthur appears to be winning.

"Enough o' tha'!" Hagrid bellows as he pulls them apart by their collars. Lucius sporting a bleeding nose and a black eye. Arthur only had a split lip, evidently researching muggles had a taught him how to brawl.

Fred and George were cheering, whilst Molly was fixing Arthur's lip, Ginny and Ron were sporting smiles. I got my first look at Percy, who couldn't keep the smirk off his lips, although no one else was looking at him.

Seeing an opening for a joke, I caught Fred's ( or George's ) eye, and morphed into a third Fred and or George. It only took them a second to wipe the shock off their faces as they exchanged a grin. We quickly retook our place in the Weasley clan.

We watched as the Malfoys slunk away from the jeering crowd which was starting to disperse. Arthur realised something was up as he glanced over the three of us.

"Molly" He started weakly, she looked at him oddly "Please don't tell me Malfoy hit me hard enough to make me forget one of my sons"

At this, all the other Weasleys looked at us, Harry must have seen me change as he was looking on with a knowing smirk.

I took the initiative and walked over to Arthur throwing my arm around his shoulder.

"What'dya mean Dad? It's me, Fred!" I told him with a faux worried expression. "Back me up here Georges!"

The real Fred and George offered their best grins.

I ruined the charade as I laughed, causing my hair to go blue again as I changed back.

The twins howled with laughter as Arthur realised they'd pranked him again. I shook Arthur's hand as he shook his head smiling all the way.

"Zack Jackson" I introduced.

"Arthur Weasley, I've no doubt you have met the twins already?" He chuckled again

"It's the boy from the elevator!" Ginny squeaked from behind Molly.

"Nice to see your tongue at a normal length, Ron was it?" Offering him a smile, To my surprise he just nodded and laughed. No blushing

"Harry and I are here with Hagrid and Professor Flitwick to get out school supplies" I explained, motioning to my entourage. The adults exchanged pleasantries as Harry introduced himself to the Weasley clan. Ginny simply hid behind Molly, staring wide-eyed at the Boy-Who-Lived.

"Percy here just made prefect" Twin two said to me. I looked at Percy to see that he was indeed wearing his prefect badge.

"Congratulations Percy, I was just talking to the head girl earlier today, Did you make head boy?" I asked, although I knew he was only in his fifth year, muggleborn wizard wouldn't know.

"Thank You, I am only in my fifth year, but when I am in my seventh I hope to become head boy" He said smiling at me. I do think I just earned some Percy points.

"We are very proud of Percy" Molly chimed in. "Our eldest, Bill, Was head boy when he attended Hogwarts, Charlie left the year before last, He was a prefect too" She scowled at the twins as they made retching sounds.

"We must press on into the shop I'm afraid" Flitwick squeaked from beside me, causing me to jump again, somehow retaining my balance. "I will be due back at Hogwarts in an hours time"

We bade farewell to the Weasleys as we entered the pet shop. Flitwick took his leave as Hagrid said he could handle getting us wands. Another hand shake later as Flitwick left us.

As we were walking through the shop I felt as if something was pulling at my ear as a walked past a few birds. When I turned I saw my bird. I knew she would be my bird from the way she stared at me. Ignoring the shop assistants protests about the red-tailed hawk biting people, I run my fingers over the top of her head, she preened under the attention, I quickly paid 30 galleons for Freya, and a further 10 for food.

I quickly enlarged my trunk to put the new food in an empty drawer. Freya landed on my shoulder. I was busy inspecting the wings, wondering about getting some myself, when I saw Harry looking at some snakes.

I walked behind him and heard him softly hissing to a particularly curious white snake.

I rapped my finger on the sign next to it, causing him to jump.

"FREE TO SPEAKERS" the sign said.

An old man who seemed to be the owner walked over to us.

"I see you boys are interested in the snakes" He said with a knowing smile. "If you can talk to one You get it for free. Between you and me, I wouldn't normally give away anything, but the amount of parselmouths out here makes the deal worth it."

Harry hissed a few more times at the white snake, causing the old man's eyes to widen. I leaned in to get a closer look at the snakes. I know snakes have no ears, but I assume magic is what allows Harry to understand them and them to understand him, but I started changed the insides of my skull to match the air pockets I knew snakes had. Suddenly the hissing became understandable.

"... me out of here Master Harry, There are no fat mice in here" It said to Harry, sounding angry.

"It looks like He will take the snake." I said to the shocked man. "And perhaps some information about parselmouths?" I prompted

"Err, yes. Free to parselmouths after all. Erm. A decade ago there was a change in how everyone saw parselmouths, People had thought of it as a dark gift, only evil witches ad wizards could talk to snakes" He said. Harry paled.

"Not to worry my boy. A young man by the name of Hammond changed those views seemingly over night, There was an attack on two highly respected Aurors called the Longbottoms, They were cursed with the darkest of magiks until their mind shattered. This young fellow who went by Hammond, carried a snake into St. Mungos ward for long term magical damage. He began talking to the snake in front of reporters and ministry officials. What happened was said to be a miracle, He cured the Longbottoms!" He cheered at this part. Some things are very different that the world I knew, the Longbottoms are OK here.

"So, Hammond began to explain that parselmagic used snakes to perform healing spells. After this, many more parselmouths came forth from hiding now that there was no stigma attached to them. A quick course about parselmagic and they could join a special team in St. Mungos dedicated to poisons and mind magiks."

The old man fumbled about in his robe and handed Harry a book about caring for snakes.

Harry took my recommendation and called the white snake "Salazar". Hagrid seemed a bit put out by the name, but quickly forgot it ask the snake coiled tightly around his wrist, much to his excitement "'E likes me!" he had said

Next order of business, wands.

I've been looking forward to this all day, Harry seems to be excited at the prospect too.

We waded through the crowds, At no point in the day did it ever appear that the people would thin out, Diagon Alley always seemed to be packed.

At the end of the main street sat Ollivanders "Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C"

It sort of loomed over the street, likely because of the wooden structure beams were not suitably old when it was constructed. Stopping myself when I realised they probably used magic to erect the building. I surmise they made it loom on purpose.

The door opened with a faint tinkle of a bell.

Harry walked over to the desk and waited.

And waited.

After about 2 minutes of no sound, Ollivander slid into view on a wheeled ladder. He stared at Harry with pale blue eyes for a long moment.

"Mr. Potter. I've been expecting you. It seems like only yesterday that your parents were in here buying their first wands. Your father favoured mahogany, Eleven inches fairly pliable, perfect for transfiguration. Your mother, however, preferred willow, ten and a quarter inch, very swishy. Will the same hold true for you I wonder? Hmm" He looked over Harry some more.

Harry was clearly uncomfortable with the staring.

"What is your wand arm, Mr. Potter?" Ollivander asked

"Err, I'm right handed sir" he mumbled

"Hmm" He disappeared round a corner, and came back with a thin box.

"Nine and a half inches, Vine wood and unicorn hair" He said as he handed it to the Boy-Who-Lived. Harry only looked at him.

"Well give it a wave" The wand maker said, waving his hands

Harry did a quick whip of the wand, causing a vase to explode. Why a wand shop had a vase in to begin with is a mystery to me, perhaps for dramatic effect. Ollivander had come back carrying another wand.

"Ten inches, Beech wood and dragon heart string from a Norwegian Ridgeback."

Harry gave a dutiful wave, causing a load of wands to fly off their shelves. Harry sheepishly put the wand back on the desk, Ollivander seemed to have caught one wand box out of the air and gave it an appraising look. Before handing it to Harry, handle first.

"11 inches. Holly and phoenix feather core" He spoke softly.

As Harry's fingers closed around the handles the wand began to glow as a wind seemed to pick up from no-where as He was bathed in a golden glow. The wind stopped as suddenly as it started.

"Curious, Very curious" the aged wand maker muttered to himself.

"Sorry sir, but what's curious?" Harry asked. De ja vu

"I remember every wand I've ever sold Mr. Potter" Ollivander began in his mystery voice "It just so happens that the phoenix that gave the feather for your wand gave another, only one. That wand just so happens to be the wand that gave you that scar. In a sense they are brothers." He finished with his spiel about Harry doing great things and "That will be 7 galleons please." In a overly happy voice.

He then turned his eyes to his next victim … I mean customer, Me.

The staring is slightly off-putting, I must say. After a few moments he moved away and brought back a wand.

"11 and three quarter inches. Cherry, Wabberjack hair core" I arched my eyebrow at this, surely there is no such thing …

I whipped the wand thinking about water, just to test something. Sure enough I doused the front display in cold water. Ollivander snatched the wand back looking at me with a frown.

He pulled out his own delicate wand and dried off the display. He froze and stared at his own wand, then back at me. The wand vanished as he stalked down between some shelves. He returned with a box. "I wonder ..." I hear him mutter

"Thirteen inches. Walnut wood, containing a phoenix feather. Good for crafting" He handed me the wand. It was carved thinner than Harry's wand, no thicker part for a handle, just the same square shape only widening slightly along the whole length.

As soon as it touched my hand I knew I had found my match. I can feel the warmth spreading up my arm, along with a strange mix between static electricity and air pressure dancing along my skin, the warmth reaches my chest as I smile.

"Walnut, said to be the wood of intelligence, along with phoenix feather, This combination is very uncommon. The only other wand I have ever made like it currently calls me it's master." I look up at this, his blue eyes regarding me with great curiosity. "It seems we have identical specifications for our wands, Mr. Jackson. Although our wands, despite the similarities, are very different." I let out a low whistle.

"That will be 7 galleons please." He asks in his jovial voice

"Can I get some sort of holder for it? I don't fancy putting this in my pocket. Perhaps some polish too?" I forked over 3 galleons and Harry decided a wand holster was a good idea.

We made for the door, eager to get away from the old wand maker. As we left we saw Hagrid leaving Eyelops owlery with a large snow white owl.

"Happy Birthday Harry!" He said over the afternoon din of Diagon Alley. The look on Harry's face reminded me that this way likely the first present he had ever gotten.


	5. Chapter 5: The Hogwarts Express

Chapter 5: The Hogwarts Express

After a late lunch at the Cauldron, in which Hagrid explained to Harry why he was famous, Harry looked at me, i think it was to see if this changed anything, I merely took a swig of pumpkin juice and said "Well ain't that something". After Hagrid ordered another drink, I took on his face and tried to get to his height, I only managed 6 feet again, but I got the proportions right, much to a now slightly tipsy Hagrid's glee. He was roaring with laughter and we managed to pull Harry out of his thoughts with more impressions.

2 galleons, 6 sickles and 23 knuts paid for my meal, It's about £12 including free refills of pumpkin juice, which happened to be quite tasty.

At 3 galleons a night, plus whatever food I ordered, I became a temporary patron of the Leaky Cauldron. Whoever was staying in room 1 checked out just as I approached the desk, so I got the first room, up the stairs next to the bar, first on the left. Harry was sent back to the Dursley's where he would stay until September first, maybe the 31st of August.

Until school starts, I'm left to my own devices. I have books to read and plans to make. I don't know how much I should help Harry, He is pretty damn powerful, maybe I should nudge him in the right direction sometimes, but for the most part I'll leave him to fight Voldemort. Cruel I know, but it's his prophecy.

The book I picked up called "Seeing Magic" turned out to be a wonderful source of knowledge. It gave a basic overview of a skill called "Mage sight" which allows someone to view magic that isn't normally visible. This includes auras, wards, charms as well as the magic that flows inside potions.

I'd spent the first week doing almost nothing but practice mage sight. After the first couple of days I had tracked down the author, Roger Harris, Who happened to be the man that sold me my trunk. He helped me build on the skill, saying the book was OK for theory, Not for actual use. My efforts flourished under the watchful eye of Roger, I spent hours just sitting, eating ice cream whilst watching people walk past and the wards around the alley constantly shifting.

Gringotts wards were pretty solid. They were obviously weaved with a completely different method that the ones around the alley, obviously a goblin way of doing things. After reading the book I had on warding, I surmised that they would be tough to break, as the book only described wizard made wards in detail.

I read all the school books for the little tid-bits of knowledge that I didn't already know and spent two weeks reading all about magical theory. It soon became clear to me that the only good books on the subject were written by muggleborn authors. Purebloods as well as muggleborns tended to think that the words and motions defined their magic, only the few authors that were completely opposing this mindset stuck out to me.

Magic is mostly about intent. Sure, power factors into it, but unless you know what you want the spell to do, it won't work as well as if you just say the words. Yes, saying the incantation works for some reason, probably magic, but it's not as good as knowing the spell.

I quickly found this working for me very well, I didn't need any incantations for the spells I tried. I focus on what I want to happen, then let the magic flow.

I spent the final week of my time practising my limits of being a metamorph. I found that I could change by bones to weigh almost nothing but they were very fragile. This, coupled with some leg muscles, let me jump pretty high. I could grow claws and I began work on wings, I wasn't really ready to try those out yet, I was fairly sure they would hold my lighter bones up in the air, but I would need to read up on bird flight before I tried that.

I modelled them after Freya's wings when I realised mine were the wrong shape, my feathers lacked the fine detail until she helped me with them.

I'm reading an arithmancy book currently. It's very advanced maths in essence. Spell crafters and warders have to know the arithmantic equations for everything they do so it all slots into place. I can read books a lot faster by altering my eyes slightly, it allows me to look the whole page and bring in all the information at once.

Snapping my book shut, startling Freya slightly, I open my trunk up. It really is a work of art and the dragon hide will stop most hexes from damaging it to. Dropping my book inside I seal the trunk shut and cross the room.

As I open the door I see the magic tendrils pull back to the frame, tell tale signs of the protections halting. This brings along the dull roar of the Leaky Cauldron. It's starting to get packed because Hogwarts starts tomorrow. A lot of people check in and spend the night if they don't have floo access.

"Evenin' Zack" Tom greets me with a toothless smile. He pushes some chicken towards me.

"Hey Tom" I greet back as I devour the chicken. Looking around the Cauldron I see some familiar faces. A few students appear to be staying the night, along with some of the commoners and drunk i've gotten to know in my month staying here.

A few raised voices caught my attention. Hagrid had Harry with him. No doubt to spend the night here before heading off to Hogwarts. He doesn't look any worse than when he left, I suppose the Dursleys were glad to be rid of him.

"Harry! Hagrid!" I beckon them over with a grin.

"Zack!" Hagrid bellowed back, wading through the mess of people, who had the sense to not rush at harry this time round. "How 'ave ye been?" He questioned

"Good, mainly just reading my books." I turned to look at Harry. "Salazar doing well" His eyes brightened at the sudden topic.

"My Aunt and Uncle are absolutely terrified of snakes! So they sort of leave me alone now, which is perfect" He paled as he realised what he'd just said. I decide to help him out of the uncomfortable zone.

"Freya has become somewhat of a mascot for the Cauldron" I tell him as Freya flies onto my shoulder. "She's been catching rats and mice for the past few weeks, saves Tom and I feeding her, except rewards for the rats, she likes grapes, but I don't think eating them for every meal would be all that good for her."

Hagrid went over to the bar, looking quite ill.

"Hagrid brought this cool looking feather and when we grabbed onto it it felt like we were flying!" Portkey no doubt, glad to see him acting like an excited eleven year-old."I thought I was going to be sick, then I suddenly landed on my feet." He eyed me for a moment " I reckon if you used one you'd end up face down on the floor" he quipped

"Oi!" I waved a chicken leg in his direction. "It's not very dignified to threaten someone with a chicken leg, so keep those thoughts to yourself" I fake sulked as he laughed at my antics.

Harry gets up to talk to Hagrid, no doubt wanting to no about his parents or something wizard. I figure now is a good time figure out these bottomless bags.

Mine is tied to me already, so the drawstring is gold, that part was simple. A drop of blood to tell the bag to only open up for me and only allow my hand to take out gold. Pulling my wand out I mutter "Arbitror". Three numbers appear in gold, silver and copper. 97 galleons, 57 sickles and 103 knuts. All that remain of my initial thousand from Hogwarts, Most of it went to books. Money well spent.

Blinking my eyes into mage sight I see colours swirling around the bag. They all seem to start at the drawstring, work their way around the bag, then head back to it. The enchantments must be tied into the string. Progress. I assume that the drop of blood activated the enchantments in my favour. After a few pokes of my wand I see that the blue streaks seems to be an alarm, although it seems to be two weaved together, one is for it someone tries to steal it, the other appears to be an alarm for if anyone tries to tear the enchants whilst I still have it. Goblins are thorough.

If I look inside the bag I can see coins at the brim, they always seem to be pushed to the surface for quick access. There is a rune stitched into the rim of the bag, If I hold my wand to it, say a number then tap my wand in a receiving bag, I can transfer big amounts without worrying about throw big coins around.

As to how the storage side on things work, well the only theory I have is magic. Wizards seem to have a basic grasp on folding space, so I can only assume it is similar to the way the elevators worked in St. Mungos. But this pouch isn't Wizard made, it's a Goblin bag.

The Goblins whole bank uses folded space, I'd wager that the tunnels don't span more than a few meters under Diagon Alley before the goblins expanded what room they had, they are much better than wizards at this. I think the pouch is a certain size, as I add more money to it, the pouch grows. Unlike the elevators in St. Mungos, where the door moved but the room didn't, the pouch is tied to the lip of the bag instead.

I idly wonder if metamorphing would allow me into someone else's bag. I've opened my own in various shapes and sizes, my magical signature obviously doesn't change.

I look up to see Harry and Hagrid paying for their rooms. It appears i've spent a few hours poking at my money bag.

"G'nite Hargrid, Harry" I tell them as we make it up the stairs.

"Hogwarts tomorrow" Harry says with an excited expression.

"Sleepin'll make it come faster I reckon" Hagrid chimes in

He and Harry trudge down the hallway, I open the door to room one and head over to the potion cabinet.

These things are genius. There is a coin slot that waits for three sickles to be deposited, then you press that engraved rune that causes the door to open. A brilliant idea. The potions are held in stasis while the door is closed, meaning that they will be as good as new so long as the door is shut. On the back of the cabinet is a rune matrix that pulls magic in from the Leaky Cauldron to recharge the stasis charms, absolutely brilliant.

I grab a sleeping potion. I don't know the long term effects of these, but drink one and you go out like a light in 10 seconds. So I lay on my bed as I'd be sore if I slept on the floor.

* * *

><p>Apparently it was a dreamless sleep potion, which also negates any sense of time passing. I feel like I drank the potion 10 seconds ago, despite the blinding light from the window.<p>

Pulling myself up with a groan, I check that my trunk has all my books and supplies in it. All in place. Wand – Check. Glasses – Check. Money – Check. I head downstairs for my complimentary breakfast. If you stay at the Cauldron for a week, you get one free meal.

The standard bacon, egg and sausage cooked to perfection by Tom, or rather his wife. I found that his wife manages the kitchen side of things, although i've never seen either of them sleep. Thoughts for another time perhaps.

I see Harry come down the stairs with a bounce in his step, followed my a half-asleep Hagrid. Tom, seeing this, pours him strong smelling drink. The glass is easily two pints. For a normal person, having two pints this early would be a bad idea, but Hagrid is a big guy, He literally drinks it for breakfast. I takes a keg for Hagrid to get tipsy.

After shovelling down breakfast, the three of us head out of the Cauldron towards Kings Cross Station. It was a short walk, or at least it was for Hagrid. Harry and I had to jog to keep up.

"Platform 9 and ¾" Hagrid instructed us before pulling out a small pocket watch "Blimey!" He exclaimed. "'Fraid i'm gunna have ta' leave ye here. Remember, don't lose ye ticket. Very important." This caused Harry to look down at his ticket.

"Harry J. Potter. Platform 9 and ¾. Eleven AM." He recited. Sure enough a golden ticket had been placed in my hand at some point too.

"Well Harry." I started "I don't suppose you've got any clue what three quarters of a platform look like do you?" He paled at this. The clock showed 10:50 AM.

"I've got a golden ticket" I started to mutter whilst pulling Harry's trunk along.

I don't think me skipping down Kings Cross yelling it at the top of my lungs would bode well with the Aurors.

"We could ask the Conductor?" Harry ventured. I shook my head.

"I don't think he'd like appreciate the question." then suddenly a gaggle of redheads steamed past us.

"It's the same every year, packed with Muggles." Molly Weasley called rather loudly. They all had muggle repelling charms around them, so unless she went full-on Molly mode, the muggles wouldn't notice.

I quickly changed into Fred 2.0 and said "Well Mum, It is a muggle train station."

Only Fred and George noticed, I'd say wizard twins are telepathic to each other. Sadly I don't work on the same wave-length just by looking like them.

"Quickly, quickly!" She started up again. "Only a few minutes to spare this year, You shouldn't have hid Percy's badge" She berated me.

I shot a grin a the twins again, Harry was only a few paces behind as we all passed through the barrier. Molly spun round and did a head count on her children.

"Two, four, five ... six?" she counted again."but …"

"Good Morning Mrs. Weasley" I grinned whilst changing back. She tried to scowl, but couldn't keep the smile off her face.

"Oh I do wish you would stop that" She said as she pulled me into a hug."and Harry dear!" Bustling over to the boy in question, hugging him before holding him out at arms length.

"How are you? You look thin, Are you eating enough?" She frowned

"I'm fine, Mrs. Weasley" he told her.

The five minute whistle tooted above us. Jolting the Weasley into motion. George and Fred grab the trunks and hefted them into storage.

"Zack, Lost your trunk?" One of the twins asked.

I pulled out the white hide matchbox. "Figured a morphing trunk fit me well" Whilst holding it closer to them.

"All well and good mate, but" one started

"Make sure it doesn't fall out of your pocket" the other taunted

I chuckled at the jab at my balance as we got onto the train. Molly started walking next to the train.

"I don't want to be getting floo calls telling me you've done anything!" She called after us.

"No … blowing up toilets!"

"Blowing up a toilet?" Twin two said

"Thanks Mum, we'll send you the seat!"

"Behave!" She called as she ran out of platform.

"Come on then"

"Best find you firsties a compartment"

"Before they are all taken"

I'm pretty certain that the train expands to suit the need of everyone. There could be one person per compartment and the train would accommodate. I shrug.

"Lead the way, oh veterans" I tell them

We start walking down the train, I see familiar faces already seated, catching up on events over the summer, a few people we walk pass either look at Harry in awe, or comment about my uncouth hair style.

Fred and George tell us to keep looking whilst they started talking in hushed tones to a boy called Lee Jordan. It causes him to look up at my hair and grin. I almost don't want to know what they are planning.

We pass Cho Chang and Cedric Diggory, although no-one but me knew that, Blaise Zabini and a couple of blondes, and Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott. Then we found an empty compartment.

Pushing open the door is say "Guess this is us for 9 hours"

Two benches on either side, over head racks for backpacks and other such things. Ron and Harry take one bench whilst I lay on the other, pulling out a book on transfiguration.

Harry and Ron introduce themselves properly, just as Salazar pops his head out from Harry's sleeve.

"Bloody hell" Ron gasps. "Is that your snake?" He asks, looking slightly in awe of it.

"Yep, this is Sal, Got him for free because I'm a … parselmouth?" He looked at me for confirmation. I nodded.

"Bloody hell" Ron repeated "I hear that the some big name Quidditch players use snake to boost their reflexes"

"Quidditch?" Harry asks, confused.

"You don't know what Quidditch is?!" Ron looks at him like he's an alien

"Would he have asked if he did?" I say with a smirking

Not seeming to hear me, Ron launches into an explanation that takes about an hour and a half. I was still stuck into my book.

Apparently, Transfiguration only works on whole objects, so change a wooden sphere into glass was an example in the book. The author of the book says that you incant the spell, or silent cast it, causing the wooden ball to turn into a glass orb. I dig around in my trunk looking for a transfiguration theory book. "Gellert Grindlewald". This doesn't look like a standard issue book I picked up. Written in 1921, it appears to be a one of a kind book. A few notes from Dumbledore in here, figures that Gellert was also a transfiguration master.

I should probably take it to Dumbledore, Maybe a Christmas present after I've finished with it.

Grindlewald plainly insults almost all transfiguration "masters" and says that it's all about the mind set and that no one tries to change half the wooden ball into glass, they are confined by their "rules of transfiguration".

I read the whole book in another hour. Enlightening stuff, He was a true master of the field. I suppose I'm lucky to have found a book not about the dark arts written by him, That would raise alarm bells.

There was a knock at the door, without waiting for a response, Hermione Granger pulled it open.

"Have any of you seen a toad?" She called "A boy named Neville has lost one"

Bushy hair. Good posture. Already in uniform. Yes, This is Hermione.

"The doors been shut, but if you'll follow me I can show you how to find the toad" I told her.

She seemed taken back, no doubt the less than polite responses she had gotten previously had something to do with it.

I snap my book shut, making everyone jump. I use a tiny sonorous charm on my books so they slam louder. Putting the book in the trunk then shrinking it, Hermione and I left the compartment.

"How did you grow and shrink your trunk? You didn't even use a wand, what was it? What book were you reading?" She fired questions at me, I smile.

"The trunk shrank itself. I think the runes sap a tiny iota of magic to perform the spell. The first year transfiguration book." I handed her my trunk in matchbox size, She held it close to her eyes and stared at it as we travelled towards the front of the train. We picked up Neville on the way through

I pick up a sugar rose from the snack lady before we entered the first cart. The first compartment had fifth-year prefects in it. I sent Percy a nod, which was returned.

I didn't recognise any of the sixth-year prefects, so we kept moving until we were at the seventh-year and head compartment.

I smiled when they were all too engrossed in their conversations to notice the firsties outside, So I threw the door open with a crack.

The head boy seemed startled, the female Hufflepuff prefect gripped at her chest, and the best reaction was Chloe Turpin's, who just sighed and shook her head.

"Ah, Head Girl Turpin" I said as I sat down next to her. "Fancy seeing you on this train" Throwing my arm around her shoulders, handing her the sugar rose. "This is Hermione Granger" Waving my hand to the bushy haired girl, who offered a meek wave.

Chloe introduced me "This is Zack, He brought too many books for a first year, I suspect it was to pester me each day" She smirked

"My dear Chloe, You see right through me." I grinned back. "We appear to have misplaced a toad though, I was hoping you could help recover it"

"Neville lost it, He's called Trevor, the toad" Hermione supplied.

"Accio Trevor" Chloe said with a wave of her wand.

A few seconds later, A rather distraught looking today came flying in.

"Trevor!" Neville cried, grasping the toad in his hands before hurrying off.

"So, Hermione, What house do you think you will be in?" I asked her, hoping to use Chloe to get her in the right house.

"Oh Gryffindor, Dumbledore was there when he was in school, so I want to go there"

"Gryffindor? Ah it's a shame, Less and less people are being sorted into Ravenclaw now. The towers library isn't getting used nearly enough" Chloe said innocently, apparently catching on to what I was doing.

"L-library?" She asked

"In the Ravenclaw tower there is a library room, it's linked directly to the school library, so you can get books without breaking curfew."

Hermione seemed deep in thought, I started to cycle the colours of my hair whilst she thought things over. Of course, seeing me do this prompted a round of questions from the seventh-years and Hermione.

"Well, I'm a metamorph, not much else to it really. A shape-shifter." I demonstrated by changing into Chloe. I had an idea.

"I wonder if I got the _details_ right." with a smirk I reached down and started to pull up my t-shirt. I revealed an inch of flesh before I found myself at the end of a very red-faced Head Girl. The compartment was howling with laughter as I was kicked out. With a mock salute, Hermione and I headed back to Harry and Ron.

"Hello boys" I greeted, They looked up from Ron's Quidditch book. "Hermione, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. Harry, Ron, Hermione Granger."

Her eyes widened. "Harry Potter? Are You really? I've read all about you in the 'Rise and the Falls of Dark Wizards'"

"All lies" He told her "I was only a baby, and sadly no one else is alive from that night to tell the story." He finished with a sad smile.

Hermione tried to sputter out an apology, He waved her off.

"It's not problem" He told her

"But I'm afraid I'll have to kick you out now Hermione, unless you want to stay in whilst we change into out uniforms?" I smirked as she turned red and ducked outside.

We slipped our robes on over the rest of our uniform. Currently the robes are plain black with white trims, charmed to change colour when we get sorted. The same charms are weaved into the ties, currently black and they will change colour completely when we get sorted, nifty bit of magic that is.

Hermione came back in and shortly after, Harry treated us to the delights of wizard sweets. Hermione didn't take part at first as she explained her parents were dentists.

"These sweets are charmed so as long as you eat them within about three feet of the wrapper they won't harm your teeth" I told her after seeing the magic floating around the wrappers.


	6. Chapter 6: The Sorting

Chapter 6: The Sorting

The sky was already dark when we arrived at Hogsmeade Station. The train ground to a halt as the trains whistle blew. I wonder if there is a driver. The windows in our compartment turned into a door with steps leading onto the platform. I changed my hair to a more sedated brown.

"Hagrid!" Harry called out form beside me. The four of us walked over to the giant man.

"'Ello Harry!" He said followed by bellowing "Firs' Years over 'ere!" as this part of the platform was beginning to crowd with children.

"This way te tha boats" He strode onto the grass, The rest of us having to jog slightly to keep up with his gait.

"No more than four to a boat!"

Harry, Ron and Hermione clambered into the boat beside Hagrid's, The three of them sat down, not looking confident about the small wooden boat.

"Forward!" Hagrid yelled, pointing pink umbrella into the air.

The boats smoothly started moving, not like the Gringotts carts in any way. There was a pleasant breeze blowing across to lake.

"Zack, You might want to sit down. I know what your balance is like" Harry quipped.

I realised I was the only one beside Hagrid standing in a boat.

"I've made my choice, I'll look silly if I sit down now, won't I?" I shot back.

"Mind yer 'eads!" Hagrid called as he duck under the vines, which passed almost 5 feet above my head, despite the fact I was standing. I grinned at the occupants of my boat.

Then Hogwarts came into view in all it's twinkling glory. It is a sight to behold. Tall towers and bridges crossing over the place. It is surprisingly well lit, there must be some sort of illuminating charms I the stones.

Our boats made it to the shore where we walked for a short time to the door.

"Evryone 'ere?" Hagrid called over the crowd. "Good!"

Three great knocks on the door later, They opened to reveal Professor McGonagall with a passive face.

"Firs' years for yeh" Hagrid explained, somewhat needlessly.

"Thank you Hagrid. If you would follow me please." She intoned, without waiting for a response, she turned and started walking. Harry and Ron exchanged a look, knowing she wasn't going to be a barrel of laughs.

We arrived at the doors to the great hall. The Professor stopped us.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," She said "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses." She cast an eye over us.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours." She paused for another moment. "Try and smarten up, I will collect you momentarily" She disappeared through the door.

The first-years started talking in hushed tones between themselves, before Malfoy decided to break the ice by extending a hand to Harry and babbling about the wrong sorts whilst casting an eye over Ron.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when the ghosts came through the floor. The fat one looked over us.

"New students!" He clapped his ethereal hands together "Hope to see You in Hufflepuff! My old house you know."

McGonagall chose this moment to come back and chase the ghosts away. Almost smiling, she said "They're ready for You"

She pushed open the doors and strode inside, with a small pack of first-years following.

The Great Hall is a very large room, containing five tables, one for each house and the teachers table. Dumbledore sitting in a large throne like chair looking down. All eyes turned onto us as we walked in, I heard mutterings to the Weasley twins about which redheads were theirs this time whilst the hat sang it's welcoming song, drawing a round of applause.

"Abbott, Hannah" McGonagall called out.

A ginger haired girl stumbled forward and sat on the stool, where the hat was placed on her head. A few seconds later the hat had decided.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

A round of applause flowed through the room as the first student was sorted.

More students were called up, I was looking around the room spotting familiar faces around me, a quick wink at Chloe Turpin left her friends giggling madly.

"Granger, Hermione"

Hermione almost ran for the stool to be sorted, and after almost a full minute

"GRYFFINDOR!" Surprising me somewhat. I guess some things don't change.

The hall cheered for the first new lion.

A few more names were called, I saw Quirrel looking pale at the teacher's table.

"Jackson, Zack"

My eyes snapped up as I walked confidently towards to stool. The only hitch in this normal move was that the teacher's table was slightly higher than the rest of the hall, only a few inches, but enough to warrant having a step. Metamorphagi and steps don't mix.

I fell.

My foot caught on the step, causing me to stumble forwards, falling face first on the hard floor. Pushing myself up the whole hall cheered as I took an exaggerated bow, the fall had shocked my hair from the brown I had it as, so it had cycled through red and green, before settling on blue.

This of course caused gasps and more cheering. I quickly gave myself a shock of ginger hair, with a quick grin at a pale McGonagall, I changed back to blue and sat on the stool.

The hat fell over my eyes.

"What?" It exclaimed out loud, shocking some of the students and staff.

"What?" it said loudly

"WHAT!?" It finished.

"Mr. Jackson. Not from around these parts are you?" The hat called inside my head

"Why no Mr. Hat, Most certainly not" I thought politely

"So this whole world was a story in your world? Very interesting" The hat said. It paused for a moment before calling

"RAVENCLAW!" I stood up with a grin.

"If you get spare time, do come back for a chat Mr. Jackson" The head said aloud once McGonagall picked it up.

I walked over to the Ravenclaw table and sat beside Chloe, Her friends has decided to make a space for me and promptly started fawning over me. They were very close to me, I would have blushed if I couldn't drain the blood from my face at the same rate it arrived.

"Longbottom, Neville"

After only a few seconds it called "GRYFFINDOR!"

The sorting carried on, more people filling up the gaps in the tables.

"Malfoy, Draco" was called out. The hat barely touched his head before

"SLYTHERIN!"

More names were called until there were only a few people unsorted.

"Potter, Harry" This caused all manner of whispers to spread across the room.

"Did she say Harry Potter?"

"Look!, There he is"

"I thought he'd be taller"

The hat was placed on Harry's head and after a couple of minutes worth of nail biting the hat called out.

"GRYFFINDOR!" The hall erupted into noise

"We got Potter!" I heard the Weasley twins cheering. Along with the rest of Gryffindor, Nobody seemed to surprised that the Boy-Who-Lived was in Gryffindor. Dumbledore was clapping politely.

Harry quickly took his place beside Hermione at the table, Percy leaned over to shake his hand. The next name that was called cleared up the chattering.

"Tonks, Nymphadora" I froze. How could I forget?

A short girl with flat brown hair walked forward taking careful steps as she approached the step. But the step must have been cursed, as she tripped spectacularly, her hair changing through the colours just as mine had. Another round of applause as she mimicked my bow with a grin before settling on spiky pink hair.

Some Ravenclaws realised just how rare just having me in the school was, but having two metamorphagi within the same decade was unheard of.

The hat's voice shook us from our thoughts. "RAVENCLAW!"

We all stood up to cheer as Tonks skipped over to the table, taking a seat opposite me. I gave her a grin before we watched the sorting of a couple more 'Puffs.

"Turpin, Lisa"

Seconds later "RAVENCLAW!"

"Weasley, Ronald"

He turned red from the attention and slumped on the stool, his sorting was over in less time than Draco's.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Another round of applause as Ron hurried over to the table as Blaise Zabini was sorted into Slytherin.

Dumbledore rose from his chair and cleared his throat, the hall fell silent.

"Welcome, old and new students, to Hogwarts as we welcome another year of learning into our hall, now I shan't hold you a moment more. Dig in" He gestured widely as plates appeared and started to fill with typical Sunday roast food, although enough to feed the school.

"The names Tonks" I hear from across me, along with a hand sticking out.

"Zack" I return, as I brush my lips over her knuckles.

She grinned at this. Clearly she has just as much control over blood flow as I do.

"I thought I'd get you with that one" Winking at her as I spoke.

Chloe looked on with a bewildered expression as I grabbed one of the large serving bowls of pudding and attacked it with a spoon.

"As long as we eat something, we don't need balanced diets" Tonks filled her in whilst scooping from my bowl. When she come back for more I try and fend off her spoon to no avail.

"I'm not sure about Tonksie, but I can actually sweat pudding if I wanted to." I smirked "I can change other fluids too." I winked at Chloe, she smacked my arm.

"The youth of today" She muttered to the girl opposite her.

Tonks looked deep in thought. "You say you can sweat pudding?" She asks me

"Well I can make something that tastes like pudding, I'm not sure if it will congeal to the same consistency as this stuff" I reply whilst shaking bowl

"Less talk about congealing bodily fluids please?" Chloe tried to frown past the grinning.

"What is it? You don't want to taste my ..." I was cut off with another smack.

I transfigured my spoon into a plastic straw, Which proved to be a much more efficient pudding eating utensil.

I grow another mouth on my throat to eat the pudding with.

"So Tonks," I begin with my normal mouth. "Found any limits?"

She stared blankly at my second mouth. "Is that actually working?"

I pull the straw out and say each word from an alternate mouth.

" . . "

I got back to drinking the pudding. "So you've not tried claws or wings?"

Her eyes widened as she shook her head.

"Oh this will be such fun." I grin as I change my hand into a furred claw, then into a more cat-like paw. "You could be so cute with some kitten ear and a tail." I grow some ears out of the top of my head along with a cat-like nose. "Maybe in a few year and a broom cupboard this could be more fun" I wink at her, this one gets her to blush.

I realise that most of the people that were in range of me were now staring wide-eyed at me.

"What?" I asked

"Metamorphs are only supposed to be able to morph into humans!" A fifth-year supplied.

"Well no one told me that" I sulked as I whipped back to a human, fairly muscled, sporting my blue hair.

I had some girls looking hungrily at me. "Eat up girls" I smirked at them as they blushed and looked away. Beside me, Chloe groaned.

"I'm going to have my work cut out for me this year" She sighed

"Don't worry" I said "I'll be good just for you"

I start eating other dessert foods. I have a sweet tooth and there is an endless supply of food, why wouldn't I eat a bit of everything?

Tonks squeals in front of me, my eyes dart up to her head. She has cat ears.

"Brilliant!" I cheer, sprouting my own cat ears. "Do you have them working yet? Or are they just for show?"

"You mean you can hear from your cat ears?" A girl wailed from beside Tonks before she could answer

I flatten my ears."Yes, and they are a fair bit more sensitive that human ears"

She claps her hands over her mouth whilst staring at my ear, then suddenly a wave of pleasure shoots down my spine as Chloe starts scratching he top of my head, between the new ears. It's glorious and the only thing stopping me from purring was the lack of apparatus in my throat to do so.

The "awww"ing made me decide to pull the ears back into my head. Chloe was wearing a smug smile.

"At least I know I got the nerve endings right" I muttered mostly to myself

I started to play around with wolverine like bone claws inside my arms, I don't think everyone would appreciate them sprouting out just yet, I'll have to remember to get rid of the blood vessels before I poke them out. The feast was in full swing as I was still being begged to bring my ears out again.

It slowly dawned on me that I wasn't the most human person any more. Sure, animagi are still classified as human, but what I do is like partial transfiguration. Not well documented, so no one can really define it. I wonder what the limits are to the beastly side of metamorphing are. I haven't tried scale yes, but it would be cool to have dragon wings instead of feathers.

I begin changing the hairs on my right arm into scales, simply flattening them out and making them black scales is simple enough. Shifting them about to they completely cover my skin isn't too hard. I grow my hairs over my hand, then quickly turn them into fine, snake like scales whilst stretching my fingernails out into talons. It still looks human shaped, it simply wouldn't work as a foot, so I can still pick my fork up.

I ignore the stares as I work the scales up towards my elbow, flexing it to make sure the scales are still separate things, it wouldn't do to have my arm stuck. I can feel it spreading along my shoulder and the super fine scales forming along my neck draws some more stares.

I change my teeth into and work the scales up one side of my face, experimenting with a forked tongue and changing my right eye yellow. To the casual observer it would look like some sort of hideous human transfiguration accident.

Dumbledore cleared his throat, causing the food to disappear, I quickly snapped the scales away.

"And thus ends the welcoming feast! A few quick notices, Our Caretaker Mr. Filch has asked me to remind you that there is to be no magic in the hall ways and that all items from Zonkos Joke shop are strictly prohibited" He said with a small smile as his eyes lingered on the Weasley twins." Also, the third floor is out of bounds for those who do not wish to die a most painful death."He paused for moment, looking over the students.

"First-years please follow your prefects, in an orderly fashion to your towers. And finally a few words from me" His smiling growing a fraction.

"Nitwit, blubber, oddment, tweak."

I alone clapped as everyone else was either shocked, or in awe of the aged wizard. Dumbledore gave me a curt nod as the students rose up to leave.


	7. Chapter 7: Hogwarts

Chapter 7: Hogwarts

After the 'Puffs and Lions dashed for the door, Ravenclaw and Slytherin followed at a more sedated pace. As we followed the prefects to the Ravenclaw tower, I tried to memorise the path, but I doubted it would do me much good as the corridors seemed to change as we walked through them.

We arrive in front of a statue of a raven, hardly inconspicuous.

"This is the portal to our common room" The prefect began "To get in You need to answer it's riddle"

A few of the other first years paled at this. Chloe laughed

"They are not usually terribly hard, it tend to come up with a harder one on the sorting night to mess with us." She hesitated "and it can be a bit … odd at times" She tapped her wand on the ravens head, causing it to come to life.

"Ah, new members!" It sang "This will be fun, here goes. What starts with a C and ends with a T, is hairy, oval, delicious and contain a thin, whitish liquid?" If raven could smirk, it was right now.

Chloe groaned and the prefect could barely hold in his laughter. Most of the first-years were either confused or blushing.

"A coconut" I said, deciding to ruin the game. The raven scowled.

"I never have fun any more" It sulked and swung the statue aside, revealing a passageway.

We were ushered inside a cosy looking room with a big fireplace and lots of sofas.

"The dormitories are through here" Chloe said, point to some stairs. "Girls upstairs, boys downstairs. Boys cannot enter the girls wings, but girls can enter the boys wing if they wish to." I suppress a snort at this.

"Your curfew is at nine o'clock sharp, if you get caught outside after then, you will lose house points and likely earn yourself a detention. Breakfast starts at Seven and ends at quarter to nine, giving you time to get to your first lesson. Your schedules will be handed out at breakfast tomorrow. Any questions?"

No one said anything.

"Off to bed then" She said

"Night Tonks" I said as we headed for the stairs. "Try not to hurt yourself" I couldn't bare the thought of her trying to morph past what she understood.

She nodded at headed up the dorm stairs as I descended. Walking down seems like a good idea now, but it means we have to walk up in the mornings.

Down the stairs was a corridor with seven doors, one for each year. The first door opened into a hallway with several more doors, One of which had the letters " Z . J " Above it. Pushing it open revealed a fair sized room with a basic bed, a cupboard and a desk. Much better than the Gryffindors get.

Placing my trunk at the bottom of my bed I retrieved my clothes and haphazardly strew them across the floor. No point in hiding them in the cupboard, the house elves will have much easier access to them this way.

It would be helpful if I could morph hair into clothes. Why wouldn't that work? Grow the hair out and make it weaves itself before cutting it loose. I can already form cuts on my skin, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Time for another experiment I think.

Pulling my shirt off, I sit on my bed. I start by growing the hair on my arm, a good starting point. As it grows I get it to tangle with the hairs next to it, figuring acromantula silk is a good material to work with, I change the hairs into it. Watching cloth seemingly pour off my skin is quite the sight, I cut it off after one foot of length.

I'm no tailor, but this feel really smooth, at to the fact I could make it any colour I want makes it a good material, very tough because of how I weaved it. I practice growing the silk for a few more minutes before the torches in my room go out, signalling ten o'clock. Bedtime. But no time for sleeping when there is work to do.

I can grow the silk from any part of my body after a few minutes of practice, I can also suck it back into my skin before I cut it off, It's still part of me until that point. I can get out a ridiculous amount in a few milliseconds, the effect is pretty amazing as I work it around my skin. The fine control takes a bit more work, but eventually I make a rough t-shirt shape.

Now I have a feel for creating the fabric I can put together the fine details. Collars, pockets. I've have to go with bone for the buttons as the only material I can make close to plastic is rubber. So long as I keep the shirt attached to me by one hair I can still alter it, so I can change this exquisite black shirt into a school shirt no problem.

Robes are made with a lot more material, which isn't a problem unless I want to be able to alter or reabsorb the robe, in which case I just need to keep it attached to the shirt by a few threads.

Over the next hour I work on various items of clothing. Cutting some of the finest shirts from my body and storing them in the cupboard, clothes could make good presents. I can make skin tight super hero costumes. The Deadpool suit is pretty cool, I conjured up a mirror to see the details.

I realise that as long as I don't say where these clothes came from, I could make a lot of money. Add to the infinite supply of dragon hide, which I can shape into boots or gloves or anything really. If Harry deals with that basilisk any time soon, I could get a feel for the skin and produce that too, I think it should work the same.

My favourite set of clothing that isn't fine clothes is the pinstripe suit and white Chuck Taylors. None of the muggleborns will recognise them as the clothes of The Tenth Doctor because He won't be around until until '07 or so.

Deciding to try the dragon morph again, I pulled back the work I did in the great hall, inspecting it. The scales were pretty tough, honestly they were probably too heavy to fly with unless I were to make my bones lighter. I add some muscles to support the scales and finish of my face. I started at my toes with just my legs to go now, elongating the toes into a similar shape to my hands, like a scaly monkey. The legs are easy enough to do, similar to my arms but with more muscle to hold my body up.

I figure I don't need a dragon dong, so I just make it smooth scales. I could make some sort of bone or chitin armour for visual effect, but for now I just look like a big lizard man.

Standing up, I immediately realise I forgot a tail, walking doesn't feel right. I grow out a scaly protrusion attached to my tail bone, making a whole in the black shorts, allowing it to for into a pointed tail. Adding spikes down my spine and onto my tail, I'm pretty much done with this form. I can play around with the muscle and bone density when the need arises, for now it's a lot stronger and faster than any human.

A quick cutting spell from my wand provides me with the knowledge that it is spell resistant, I wonder how much protection my skins offer after I cut them off. Perhaps I should study it closer if I decide to sell anything.

The morphing has taken it's toll on my body now, so i'm in great need of sleep. Snapping back into my "base" form and growing myself a quilt, I go to sleep.

* * *

><p>I heard my door creak open in the morning, silently berating myself for not warding the door. I stayed still and heard a tiny giggle from who I could only guess was Tonks and then a hushing sound from someone else.<p>

I felt them inhale right next to my ear, I took this moment to leap out of bed onto them.

The second person was Chloe, who tumbled down with my half-naked body, Shrieking all the way.

We hit the floor, I'd somehow managed to land on my knees.

"Wotcher Zack" I heard Tonks sputter out.

"Straddling the Head Girl on your first day, You work fast, Jackson" I hear the seventh-year prefect call out, Anthony Goldstein I believe.

Chloe suddenly became aware of my lack of clothing and pushed me off onto the floor.

"Perhaps a simple knock on the door next time?" I grumble out.

Tonks was doubled over laughing by this point.

"We are about to take the first-years down to breakfast, so get dressed." Anthony called from just outside the door.

"What's the dress code for breakfast?" Not a fan of robes really.

"Well, there isn't' really one. The rules says that uniform is to be worn in classes and term-feasts at the very least."

"Wonderful" I quickly grew one of my favourite shirts in black, simple skinny jeans and just thickened the bases of my feet. Seeing the awe-struck expressions of Tonks and Chloe, I grinned and strode past them and went upstairs to the common room.

The rest of the first years were already milling about in the centre, and some of the higher years were heading through the passageway to breakfast.

"Follow me first-years" Anthony said in a raised voice. Tonks and Chloe were still inspecting my clothes as we walked through the arch.

Our entourage arrived at breakfast at half-past seven, nice and early on the first day. Bleary eyed student filtering in still. Dumbledore, looking as chipper as ever, in quiet conversation with Professor Flitwick.

I took my seat and started shovelling bacon and eggs onto my plate. The proteins help with morphing. "Tonks, stock up on bacon if you are going to try … let's call it un-human morphing."

She eyed more for a moment before taking a heap of bacon.

Chloe poked my side. "Spill" She said

"Whatever do you mean?" I replied to this

"How did you make those clothes? A first year couldn't have conjured that with such fine detail, and ignoring that, you didn't even touch your wand. So spill"

I smirked at this. Have to love the smart ones.

"I grew them" Saying it like it was the simplest thing in the world.

She stared at me incredulously. "You grew them?" she asked.

Deciding to end her torture. "Yes, I started off with basic hair, It's a great building block really, and grew the hair whilst it weaved into this faux acromantula silk." Explaining it like you would to a small child.

She reached over and brushed the sleeve. "It's so smooth. Much finer than silk" She marvelled.

Seeing an opening, I said "The trousers are silky if you want to run those too" Tonks started laughing as Chloe tore her hand away as if I was wearing fire.

"You're incorrigible" She scowled at me.

Looking at Tonks again, I decided to make time to see if she was adept as me. "So Tonksie" I started with a sweet smile. "If you're not otherwise engaged on Saturday, we could have a little fun, perhaps work on your ears?"

Matching my grin, she accepted. "I'll hold you to that. I managed to get the ears and tail working fine now. Practised last night" She said proudly as she sprouted pink ears and a slim tail, which didn't go well as she was wearing her robes still.

"If you can start weaving fabrics from your skin, you'll be able to make openings for new limbs." I demonstrated my making a whole under each arm, before sprouting two muscled arms. Quickly putting them to use, feeding bacon into another mouth.

Tonks grew another finger on each hand and frowned.

"Don't be dismayed, I didn't get this far without practise." Trying to cheer her up.

Chloe came back with our schedules. A quick scan over it revealed we had double charms after breakfast, flying lessons every day after lunch and Herbology this afternoon.

* * *

><p><strong>AN; I uploaded the first 7 chapters together, so that is why there are no notes for them**


	8. Chapter 8: Day One

Chapter 8: Day one

After finishing breakfast, Tonks and I headed for the charms room as I coached her through the basics of 'hair-weaving'. She seemed to grasp the concept quickly, being half-blood, her father is a muggleborn, she has a view on the word not shared by most purebloods. She was quick to begin weaving coarse fabrics as we entered Flitwick's classroom.

I was trying to turn my fingernails into metal as Flitwick entered the room. We are joined by the Hufflepuff first-years.

"Good morning class!" He called out, clearly excited for the new year.

He quickly called through the register. Everyone is present.

"Welcome, welcome to your very first lesson here at Hogwarts! Charms!" He spoke quickly with his hands moving a lot.

"Now, Charms cover many areas of magic. It can be anything from keeping your glasses from fogging up," Drawing a nervous laugh from a few students. "To mending a broken bone. So, I hope some of you have opened a textbook over the summer. "His eyes moving across the Ravenclaws and settling on me briefly."For today we start with one of the most basics; The levitation Charm!" This started a brief wave of hushed chattering.

"As for many of you this is the first time to attempt any magic, so do not be disheartened if you cannot do it! House points are for effort, not always for just doing the work. The incantation is 'Wingardium Leviosa', The spelling is on page ten of the Standard book of Spell. The wand movement is a simple swish followed quickly by a flick. Wands away whilst we practice the incantation please!" A clattering of wands hitting desks resounded around the room. Followed by a drawling 'wingardium leviosa'.

"Excellent! Combining the correct wand movement with this incantation causes an object to levitate, like so; _Wingardium leviosa!_" As he spoke his waved his wand which caused feathers to fly out from behind the desk and move to the students. Each feather has a small disk of magic beneath it, mage sight was worth the hassle to learn.

The class began chanting, trying to float their feathers, to no avail. I had a feeling this would be more tricky than transfiguration, picturing objects to transfigure in my head is as easy as metamorphing for me, but charms will probably take some practice to get right.

A quick scan of page ten reveals that the swish and flick are very important, mostly to get used to the habit of spell casting. This charm appears to be taught as the first charm for everyone at Hogwarts.

Pulling out my wand I decide to take an idea from my good pal Gellert. I have to _want _the feather to float. I blink on my mage sight, maybe if I can duplicate just one tendril like Flitwick's, this might just work. How hard can it be to float a feather when I can turn into a dragon-man?

A slight wave of my wand causes the tip to glow with magic, not seen by the naked eye, the tendril is a bit unyielding, but with some coercion it slowly pours from my wand. I figure a push from underneath would get the desired effect, but it might fall off the tendril. The other students seem to be flooding magic from their wands in vain attempts to make the feather hover.

The tendril slowly wraps around the non-bristled part of the feather and tightens, almost like a small hand. A short flick upwards causes the feather to move upwards, different to Flitwick's charm as it's clearly being held up by one point, rather than riding the wave of magic. I almost drop it when I hear cheering beside me.

"Excellent! Five points to Ravenclaw!" Flitwick squeaks out.

"Thank You, Sir" I say politely.

"Very good, very good, However" He turned back to me. "Can you cast the correct charm, Mr. Jackson?" He said with a smile

Grinning, I looked back at my vertical feather and smirked. I'm not sure if I could cast his levitation charm in all honesty, so I draw out another tendril to grasp the other side of the feather and lift it up to be level with the other. I throw a grin at Flitwick.

"Ah! Very good! Take another five points." He says, although looking at me with calculating eyes. Almost as if he could see what I actually did. He spun round as another feather rose limply into the air across the room.

"Take ten points for Hufflepuff, Ms. Abbott!" before heading to struggling students.

Looking at Hannah's levitation charm was enlightening. It seems the proper was to do it is to raise platform of force beneath it. It is supposed to be a pushing charm, not a pulling … whatever I had done. Hannah had made a patchy looking oval shape, and now a few more students had their feather rolling along the desks, whether it was magic or simply an open window, they were excited.

Beside me Tonks had a pretty solid rectangle shape an older student might have told her, or perhaps her parents, to imagine a square pushing the feather up. Solid advice, but I had much more control with the tendrils.

I relayed this advice to the boy on the table next to me, He looked at me strangely, but he nailed the spell a few minutes later.

The lesson continued on as a few more people started being able to keep the feather airborne. It was the first lesson, so it wasn't like everyone would get it. Focus started to slip as lunch approached as people were, understandably so, excited about our first flying lesson, which would be after Herbology this afternoon. Flitwick addressed the class.

"To get you into the habit of homework," This drew a groan out of the students "I expect 4 inches on the common uses of the levitation charm ready for next week. Dismissed."

Scraping noises bounced off the walls as chairs were pushed back as the class began to shuffle from the room.

The corridors already had students in all heading towards the great hall for lunch.

"Zack!" I hear from behind me.

Harry and Ron wade through the crowd towards Tonks and I as we make our way to lunch.

"We just had transfiguration with McGonagall. Changing matches into needles is harder than it sounds." Harry explains. "I got mine to go silver, still looked like a match though."

"Mine got a bit pointy on one end" Ron says. "I'm not even sure what a match is"

"Purebloods" I sigh.

After a quick laugh at Ron's expense we arrive in the great hall just in time for lunch time post.

An owl almost smacks a box into my head as a take my seat at the Ravenclaw table. I see a few mid-day copies of the Daily Prophet come down.

The food served at lunch is, quite logically, lunch foods. Sandwiches, piles of crisps and bowls of fruit.

"Tonks" I say to my bench mate. "Watch this" With a wink I throw a grape straight up in the air, when it gets to about 10 feet above the table, Freya catches it before landing on the table in front of me. Tonks proceeds to lavish praise unto Freya.

A loud bang erupts from the Slytherin table as a large canary wearing green trimmed robes starts chirping loudly, much to the halls joy.

"Weasley!" I hear a shout from the teachers table, I can almost hear frown.

Snape strides over to the large canary and draws his wand. I see Percy looking particularly happy.

"_Finite!_"

The canary squawks again before turning into a fifth-year prefect, Markus Flint, as Snape rounds on Fred and George who look completely shocked. This also causes Percy's smile to drop. Clearly he didn't think about who would take the blame.

"Detention with me tonight" He sneers

"But it wasn't" Twin two began

"Us this time!" The other countered

Snape stares at them for a few moments. I strikes me that he is probably rooting through their memories at this point. The thought has just occurred to me that if Snape or Dumbledore decide to have a root around in my head, I couldn't stop them.

"Detention revoked" He poke quietly. Causing the twins to sag in relief. Percy's arrogant mask snapped back on.

"I wonder if a beak would be useful" I muse aloud.

Stretching my lips out into a small beak felt a bit uncomfortable I must admit. I can't really think of a use for it, so I pull it back in. Tonks takes on a duck bill. I grin before eating some more fruit.

A group of sixth or seventh year girls enter the hall. Hogwarts robes are a curse to mankind. I wonder if I could get Dumbledore to consider the Beauxbatons uniform.

"Excited for flying lessons, Tonksie?" I ask playfully, knowing her balance is as bad as mine.

"Urgh" She puts her forehead on the table. "Don't remind me." She grumbles.

"I'm sure it will be fine" I say, patting her shoulder. "Maybe We could give it a go without the brooms."

Her head shoots up, eyes wide. "You mean ... wings?" I can see the excitement dancing in her eyes.

"Oh yes, Tonksie" I grin.

"I wish you'd stop calling me that" She scowls.

"Would you prefer Nym-?" I stop as I find myself at the business end of a red-haired Tonks' wand.

"Tonksie's fine." I smirk as she says this.

Not seeing Professor Sprout at the heads table, I stand up.

"Better be getting to Herbology." I pull on her sleeve.

"But – but food!" She whines.

"You can eat the plants." I say placatingly

After dragging a sulking Tonks to the greenhouses, We each get handed a set of earmuffs and some thick woolen gloves. I decide to scale my hands instead. Professor Sprout looks at my 'gloves' oddly.

"Good afternoon class." She began, drawing out a 'Goodafternoon' from the students. "Please keep your gloves on during this greenhouse or you will not be returning. Today we will be learning about the mandrake root plants. Can anyone give me some properties of the plant itself?"

She calls on me when I raise my hand. "They're loud." I say with a grin, causing a few people to laugh. "A fully grown mandrake root can kill someone with it's cry, but a baby one would only knock you out, hence these earmuffs I would imagine"

"Good, good. Ten points to Ravenclaw" I nod my acceptance.

"We have a baby mandrake for each pair of students, We will be re-potting them into the larger pots. Earmuffs on please." She secured her own. "Grasp the leaves firmly, give it a good tug to lift the mandrake out of the pot." She pulled up a small shrivelled radish-baby. "Place it into the larger pot and put some more soil on top to sedate the mandrake again."

The odd plant became silent again once it was buried under the soil.

"Now, give it a go yourself. Remember," She pointed to her head. "Earmuffs _on_."

I give Tonks a shrug before pulling a fat mandrake from our pot. It immediately starts screaming at me. I think giving it a good smack would shut it up, but I op for covering its mouth with me hand.

"Don't just stare, Tonksie. Get the pot ready." I instruct her. Her mouth snaps shut as she puts some soil in the larger pot.

The mandrake starts biting my fingers at this point.

"Uh, Professor." She walks over to us. "This one has teeth. Should it have teeth?"

"Not to worry Mr..." She looks at me expectantly.

"Jackson"

"Mr. Jackson. This one appears to be a bit older than the rest. They grow teeth as they get older."

I pull the finger into my hand as the mandrake had no intention of letting me have it back. I dumped it into the pot as Tonks poured soil onto it's head.

"Plants shouldn't have teeth Tonks. It ain't right I tell ya" She nodded in agreement as the rest of the class re-pot their radish babies.

Professor Sprout spoke up again.

"All mandrakes re-potted? Yes? Good." She took her earmuffs off.

"I want 5 inches on a use for mandrakes. Baby or adult, no matter. Dismissed."

She calls my name as we head for the door.

"If you don't mind me asking, Mr. Jackson, Could you tell me where you got gloves as strong as those? They don't appear to hamper your ability to flex your fingers, and any glove that can stop mandrake teeth are special."

Gloves?

"Oh, These aren't gloves" I waggle my fingers, changing them back into pale hands. "I can grow scales, quite a handy skill, as you've noticed."

She nodded slightly, looking pale as I left.

I caught up with Tonks just outside the castle, heading down to the Quidditch pitch.

"Time to show off our exquisite balance Tonksie." Eliciting a groan from her.

* * *

><p><strong>AN; I'm not sure if "placatingly" is even a word, but i might use it instead of "soothingly" is future**

**I'll try and keep the chapters at about this length **


	9. Chapter 9: Flying er Falling Lessons

Chapter 9: Flying, er Falling Lessons

We got to the Quidditch pitch early, so we saw the rest of the first-years enter the pitch. All the first-years share this period, but houses are separated so no one will jinx others brooms, they are not toys.

Ron was talking animatedly to Harry when we saw them come in whilst Hermione came over to Tonks and I looking nervous.

"Nervous, 'Mione?" Tonks asked

"Yes." Hermione said quickly.

"First time?"

"No, I've been nervous lot's of times."

I was howling with laughter, and poor Tonks didn't get the joke, but Hermione looked a bit more relaxed. If I hadn't already been sitting I would have fallen over by now.

"Quiet please." Madam Hooch spoke loudly over the first-year banter.

"For many of you, today will be your first flight lesson. I don't want any messing around, and if I see one broom in the air without my say so you will be in detention faster than you can say Quidditch! Now, Everyone come and stand beside a broom."

There was some pushing and shoving as no one wanted the more mangled brooms, but none of them looked un-mangled. Twigs pointing off in random directions probably won't allow the most stable ride. After a minute everyone had a broom.

"Now," Hooch began. "Hold you right hand over the broom. On my whistle, say "Up" very clearly." Shortly afterwards came a burst of her whistle.

"Up" Everyone spoke for the first time at once, only a few brooms came up immediately, Harry's hopped up with no surprise. Although I didn't think I would get it the first time, I guess this old broom wants to fly. Everyone started saying 'up' at various volumes for the next few minutes, a few people gave up and picked it up of the floor.

"Mount the broom with your wand hand before your other." She hopped over onto her broom. "Each day for the first month of your time here we will be practising with brooms, If you wish to try out for the Quidditch team in later years, you may."

Quiet whispers about somehow getting on the team broke out.

"On my whistle, give a short kick off the ground, hover for a few seconds, then come back down."

Another burst on the whistle and a few people fell to the ground, not expecting to not be lifted up. Mine threw me backwards, knocking the air from my lungs.

"Fecking broom." I grumbled.

"Get up Jackson, If you don't try again now you never will." Hooch called to me.

I kicked up again, by this time a few people were floating around. I managed to shakily stay in the air a few inches off the grass. Small victories.

"Lean forward slightly to start moving forward, pull back to slow yourself."

Easy enough, although this lead to me ploughing into the ground as Tonks rolled sideways, knocking me forward.

"Necks intact?" Harry called smugly from above us.

We weren't the only ones that had crashed though, apparently leaning forward stops people from opening their eyes, so a few pile-ups had occurred.

"If you feel confident enough, you may practice hovering away from the group, no more that two feet high whilst I help the others."

A few of the better flyers hovered away shakily.

"Jackson, Tonks. Show me what you're doing." She instructed us.

A short kick in the air and I was airborne again. It was looking good until I swing upside down, still in the air.

"It's hopeless Ma'am." I said, keeping the blood from flowing to my head. "You saw me trip on that step in sorting, This isn't happening."

I let go of the broom in defeat, falling flat on my back. Tonks had the sense to not try flying again.

"Nonsense. Try again." She told me patiently.

Maybe if I kick harder, catch an updraught or something. I put some more muscles in my legs and kicked off hard. This hard the desired effect as I rose up high.

But I didn't stop going.

"Mr. Jackson! Get back down here!." The flight instructor shouted to me.

The broom gave a lurch at about 3 meters, it bucked me off whilst I was still holding on. I now find myself hanging onto a vertical broom about 6 meters up.

Thankfully the broom slow at 9 meters. I'm still holding on, but I feel like I should have let go before I got high enough to get really hurt.

"Jackson. Let go of the broom, I'll catch You." She informed me from below.

I weighed my chances briefly.

"With all due respect, Ma'am, That's not a good idea."

All the students below were now grounded and either laughing, or looking worried, depending on the house.

"Maybe he can morph into a blob of lard like Longbottom to cushion the fall." I hear Malfoy joking to his cronies.

"As usual Draco" I shout down. "Your wit knows no bounds. Maybe I should land on you?"

This caused him to pale and walk further from the group. As much as I loathe to admit it, Draco had a point. Morphing is my greatest asset, although i'm not sure if my wings will catch enough air at this height. I had risen again up to around 12 meters.

"Tonks?" I shout

"Yeah?" I hear her say shakily.

"What's the chances of me breaking every bone in my body from this height?"

"What!?" She screeched.

"Not a good idea then?" I chuckle

Fat could help, but i'd fall faster. Is that how gravity works? Maybe Hooch could catch me if I let go.

"This is going to bloody hurt." I mumble

"Mr. Jackson. Don't" Hooch said from beside me.

I grin at this. "Allonsy!" I shout as I let go of the broom, vanishing all my bones and nerves.

It was a peaceful few seconds, I couldn't hear anything and my eyes had rolled back into my skull erm brain sack. I'm glad Hooch has the sense to not grab me. I slap into the ground like a sack of crap.

In hindsight, I should have just rolled when I hit the floor, but where would be the fun in that?

I grow my bones back, It's a lot better that a skele-grow potion, I'm sure, but not something I would do often. I don't grow my nerves back just yet, that would be painful.

"There we go Tonks" I say as I stand up. "We can add that to the list of things we can do, just shouldn't." I stretch my muscles, making sure everything is in place.

I get tackled by a pink missile. Tonks is hugging me on the floor.

"Don't EVER scare me like that again!" She cries as I push myself into a sitting position.

I can't really think of anything to say that would calm her down, so I settle for a hug.

"I think my broom was jinxed." I say matter-of-factly.

"I probably won't be getting on one again any time soon, if that's OK" I say to Madam Hooch. She looks at me with a pale face.

"Mr... Zack, Do you know how high you fell from?" She asked shakily.

I'm guessing I misjudged the height. She hands me a mirror. My skin is a mixture of black, blues and yellows.

"I'm a walking bruise …" I mutter "I see why you were worried now Tonksie" I pat her head. She sniffles in response.

"Dinner will be served soon. Class dismissed."

"Let's go Tonksie" I pull the teary-eyed girl up with me.

"Mr. Jackson. May I suggest going to the hospital wing?"

"Oh, right" I say, repairing the blood vessels and pulling the blood back from the wrong places.

"Good as new" I grin. Tonks laughs at this.

"You're impossible" She says, smiling.

"Hey! It wasn't that high!"

"You don't know do you?" She looked at me incredulously. "You were almost 60 meters in the air!"

I let out a low whistle.

"I think i'll keep my bones next time." I start talking quieter. "We could try and sneak out tonight, work on some wings?" I say with an evil grin as we arrive to dinner.

With a matching grin she asked "How will we get past the teachers?"

"Oh I know a pair of people who know their way around"

I rub my hands together as we sit down at the Ravenclaw table by Chloe.

"Zack, A firsty just told me that you died on the Quidditch pitch, care to explain?" She asked. Word carries fast it seems.

"Yep, died" I told her

She sighed "Try not to do it again. Flitwick wants to see you in an hour too."

"Sure thing boss" I give her a mock salute. She rolls her eyes.

"Tonksie, my sweet" I said in a sickly sweet tone. She merely arched an eyebrow

"Would you care to pass me that giant tub of pudding?"

She pushes the large silver bowl towards me.

"Eat some more meat, You can try morphing some scales before I have to head off." I instruct.

She starts eating whilst eyeing my scaled arm.

"The building blocks I use for a lot of things are hairs." Figure i'd explain whilst she ate. "We have tons of them to start with, and it's easy to grow them anywhere on your body, right?" She confirmed this by growing long eyebrows.

Chloe, as well as most others in range were listening with rapt attention. Not every day you'd get two metamorphs talking about it. Unless you were in Ravenclaw, then it's hard to miss us.

Ignoring them, I continued as Tonks finished eating.

"OK, so you have to kind of flatten out the hairs. Start with the tips and use the hair follicles to form layers of the scales, it makes em tougher." Watching as she slowly started making scales on her arm with a grin. "Once you get the feel of the scales it's easy to recreate them, like any metamorphing, when you do it once, it's easy to do again." Mostly for the benefit of the Ravenclaws, I could feel Dumbledore, Flitwick and McGonagall behind me, I ignored them.

Tonks was pulling the scales in and out now. "Good! You've got the hang of them. For the hands I like to have them longer than human, but with a space on the fingers to grow claws, I don't always want them out." I demonstrated by whipping up my scaled hand.

"So now you have the hand, You can't move it right?" Tonks' eyes widened as she shook her head sheepishly. "That's fine, you have to make each scale separate, else it will just give you a gauntlet hand. The same goes for you elbows."

I could hear quills scratching now.

"I do my legs the same as my arms, but with more muscle. Lower the density of you bones too, makes your body easier to carry." Tonks started to reach her neck. "Now you have to be careful with the neck for breathing issues. The scale have to be tiny to give your neck full movement." I finished off my transformation with my tail and spine, giving myself pointed scaled ears too. Tonks was fixing her eyes when people started to clap.

I turned to see most of the hall looking at us now, I gave a meek wave. McGonagall took a step forward.

"Mr. Jackson, that is the most detailed transfiguration i've ever seen, and you just explained how to do it to another pupil! You've not even had a lesson yet!"

Flitwick chirped up at this point. "I believe it is time for our meeting." He said smugly.

I followed Flitwick to his office, taking a seat on the larger side of the room as he sat on his goblin sized chair.

"So, Zack. How has your first day been?"

"Well, sir. I apparently died in broom practice. That was the highlight really."

"Yes, yes. I heard about that. I wanted to see if you were OK."

"I should probably grow my nerves back now." I said distractedly

"Your nerves?" The small man inquired.

"uhuh" I spluttered as my nerves grew back. Obviously I hadn't fixed all the damage.

"Are you all right?" he asked me

"Half left, sir" I choked out before I passed out.

* * *

><p><strong>AN; I didn't really like this chapter. I think i've put it in too early, I'm not good at writing out the lessons so this has been a learning experience. On the plus side, Tonks can grow scales now**


	10. Chapter 10 Day Two

Chapter10: Day Two

I woke up in the hospital wings on my second day. Must be some sort of record. I climbed out of bed, hoping to escape Madam Pomfrey.

"Glad to see you up and about, Mr. Jackson" She said

Curse my luck. "Thanks for the bed"

"Breakfast is just starting, you should get going. And I don't want to see you in here again!" She called after me

A few minutes later I found my way to the great hall before taking my usual seat I snuck up next to Tonks' ear.

"Morning Tonksie." I whispered causing her to jump and hug me again. I am glad she decided not to hold an eleven year-old's body.

"Why were you in the hospital wing?" I heard a voice.

"Oh I just grew back my nerves. Apparently dying is quite painful, I delayed the pain."

That caused some muttering about me being mad. I'm just a bit eccentric.

"Oh goody, pudding for breakfast" I cheer.

"Fred and George convinced the house elves to get it for you, knowing it was your favourite."

I froze just before the pudding touched my lips. Looking up to see a grinning pair of twins. I speed my metabolism up by around 500% and begin eating the pudding.

"I'll be sure to thank them for this later." They stare at the pudding, I can taste some sort of potion in it.

Freya swoops down to my shoulder and nips at my ear. The message is clearly "More grapes, human." I grow another arm to feed her grapes with.

"Transfiguration first thing." Tonks tells me.

"My speciality." I grin.

"Hah!" Tonks chirrups. "I bet I can do the needle faster than you!"

"Oh, you're on Tonksie."

Something catches in my throat, I cough up a feather. The twins cheer at this. "Small victories" I saw grinning along with them.

"Best be heading off to your first class." Chloe tells us. "You don't want to be late with McGonagall, transfiguration prodigy or not." She finishes wryly.

I donned some cat ears and pushed out a tail as we made our way to transfiguration.

"Be a bit more cat, earn some McGonagall points." I tell Tonks. She looks at me sceptically.

We enter the classroom, seems that we are the only ones here besides McGonagall in cat form. I wink at her as we take our seats.

Slowly the volume of the room rises as more students filter in through the door, We get a few looks due to the ears, but paying them any mind.

One minutes before the class is due to start, one of my housemates calls out "Where is McGonagall?"

"Ssh" I try to warn him by pointing at McGonagall. Zackirias Smith, if I recall correctly, pointedly ignores me.

"My name was down for Eton before here." He says pompously. "Staff would show up for their lessons." I suck air in between my teeth, This isn't going to be pretty.

"Dunderhead." I mutter to a snickering Tonks.

McGonagall jumps from her desk and turns back into a witch, glaring at Smith.

"That will be twenty points from Ravenclaw for blatant disrespect for staff and three nights of detention with me, Mr. Smith." She says, unamused.

"Perhaps your housemates will be able to redeem the points." She looks at me. "Mr. Jackson, Could you explain how you knew it was me?" She looked at me expectantly.

"Call it a well educated guess." I say with a grin. Not a lie really. "You are arguably one of the best transfiguration mistresses in the continent. Excluding metamorphagi, The animagus transformation is one of the most complex forms of transfiguration feats there are. I'm not sure if I would want to learn from someone who couldn't do it. I would wager that the Headmaster has also achieved this feat."

"I most certainly have." Came a disembodied voice.

Dumbledore shimmered into visibility, sitting on my desk, smiling away.

"I came in today to demonstrate another animagus form, a dare-say between the four of us," Looking at Tonks and I. "We could make quite a joke, two metamorphs and two animagi walk into a bar..." McGonagall coughs at this. "Perhaps another time then"

He whirled round with surprising speed and spins into a ball of fire, moments later there is a phoenix sitting on McGongalls desk. Dumbledore is a phoenix animagus. The bastard.

Changing back he announces; "A rather fitting form, wouldn't you agree? I had best be on my way, I shall leave you in the very capable hands of Professor McGonagall." and with that he burst into a ball of fire again and was gone. McGonagall was slowly shaking her head.

"Today marks your introduction to transfiguration, A difficult branch of magic that not many can master. Very dangerous if not used correctly."

She taps her wand on a small box on her desk, matches begin to float out towards each student. I transfigured mine into a needle when it was still in the air. I had barely noticed pulling my wand out. Tonks sends me a mock glare as she changes her match perfectly.

"As you can see, Mr. Jackson and Ms. Tonks are already proficient in transfiguration as they frequently transfigure their bodies into various shapes and sizes."

Taking this as a prompt to show off, I push scales out onto my skin and draw my robes into my body and pushing out chunky chitinous armour. I grew out my prototype wings for effect. McGonagall clearly wasn't expecting this, but only took a moment to recover.

"Perhaps it would be best to stay behind after class to discuss your own abilities? If you move to the back and carry on with your … private studies?" Did McGonagall just say dos about at the back? Not needing to be told twice I dragged Tonks to the back of class.

I lean closer to Tonks, not wanting to disrupt the lesson further.

"D'ya think if we do animate to in-animate McGonagall will let us skip the next few years of transfiguration practical?" I venture. "We'd probably have to do revision before the end of the years of course, but having a free period to mess around in would be nice, don'tcha think?" Waggling my eyebrows

She grinned at this. "We'll ask after the lesson." She whispered to me.

The lesson carries on, no one managed to get the fully formed needle, but a few people managed to set fire to their match, which is magic I suppose.

Tonks and I sat at the back chatting away, she told me about her home life, and how her mother had been disowned from the Black family. I should probably assist Sirius Black in some way, maybe catch Peter the rat and send him to Amelia Bones. I felt bad lying to Tonks about life before Hogwarts, but I couldn't exactly tell her where I was really from, could I?

Chairs scraped across the stone floor as McGonagall called the lesson to an end. She set some homework that we were excused from, providing we stayed behind afterwards.

She leaned on her desk and watched us for a brief time.

"I'm afraid there isn't much I can teach you until your OWLs come if the fifth-year. You have a grasp of static transfiguration at a staggering level as well as living things into static objects, like the beetles you were using earlier." She frowned. "Normally I would never entertain the idea of giving you a free class, but with you two it would be like teaching the Headmaster to transfigure a match into a needle. Pointless."

She pulled out two forms and signed them. "These will exempt you from my class until the end of year exams. I urge you to use this time wisely to further your studies." She handed us the forms.

"Thanks Professor." We both chimed.

"It's quite alright. Now, off to lunch with you." Not needing to be told twice, we headed for the door. "Oh, and if you are ever to attempt something you think could go badly, I would take great pleasure in assisting you." She finished with a small smile.

We grinned and left for lunch.

We arrived grinning like hyenas, Chloe was already at the table.

"Dare I ask why you two are smiling?" She sighed.

I handed her my free lesson form with a smirk.

She groaned. "A whole period to cause mischief."

"Come now, Chloe" I began.

"Would we ever do such a thing?" Tonk ended.

"I've known you for two days and I already know you will." She rolled her eyes. "and don't start talking like those Weasleys, please." she begged.

"Whatever"

"Do you mean?"

Chloe put her forehead on the table.

After a short lunch we headed for potions. I haven't heard bad things about Snape, nor good, but I think he might not be as bad.

Whilst waiting for Snape to arrive, I toyed with the idea of creating an organ inside me that could create or brew certain chemicals. I could already sweat pudding, so why not cook up some chemicals or potions inside me? Bottle them up in some hard resin or bone maybe. Just a thought.

The doors swung open with a bang as Snape strode through.

"There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class. As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion-making." He finished his perfectly rehearsed speech and surveyed the room.

I'd be lying if I said I _hadn't _been looking forward to potions. The textbook was fascinating, Simple things like clockwise and anticlockwise stirs could alter the potion drastically.

Snape foolishly waved his wand at the board, dispelling the charm that was concealing the words 'Boil-cure'.

"Open you copy of 'Magical Draughts and Potions' to page 14 for brewing instructions. You have two hours."

Crush six snake fangs into a fine powder using a pestle. Simple enough, although I don't know if different kinds of snakes have different fangs to effect the potion potency, I could ask Snape. Four measures of said fangs to be put in the cauldron, Heat at 250 for 10 seconds. Does one snake fang equate to one measure? What scale are we using for the heat? Fahrenheit? I'll go with Celsius as this is a British institution.

'Wave Your wand' is the next instruction. Then leave to brew for 33-45 minutes. Apparently it should be pink by this point.

Tonks has already crushed our snake fangs. I pick up the small spatula thing, obviously it's one measure of this, we have just enough crushed fang. Tonks doesn't look happy.

The magical cauldron heater has a slider on it, I can vaguely recall the melting point of pewter being 230C. So this is in Fahrenheit, or some strange wizard heat scale. The fangs make a hissing sound when I slide it to the '250' marker.

Tonks waves her wand above the cauldron. Nothing happens. We exchange a look, clearly something isn't right, but I can't be sure with wizarding methods.

After waiting a random amount of time, we are supposed to add four horned slugs before taking the cauldron off the heat to add a pair of porcupine quills. 'TAKE OFF THE HEAT' is written in big letters, the cauldron would melt and a poisonous gas is released, one that causes boils on contact with skin, irony? I think so.

Morphing my hands into dragon scales, I begin to cut the horned slugs for the potion. The 33 minutes mark has passed, we have a purplish potion, close enough, right?

I take the cauldron off the heat before adding the quills, I'm certainly no dunderhead. Although I do wonder what the gas would do to my hands in this state.

"Five clockwise stirs." Tonks tells me.

"Bloody wizards." I grumble, Tonks has to suppress a snicker when Snape stares at us.

"Do you want to do the honours, Tonksie?" I ask with a mock bow.

She waves her wand over the cauldron, What this actually does, i've no idea, but the potion turned a light blue, success? I fill a vial with the mixture before labelling our names on it.

"Your time is up, Clear your work stations and submit your … potions for appraisal. I expect 6 inches on cutting techniques on Thursday. Dismissed."

Not needing to be told twice, we fled his classroom and headed for the Quidditch pitch. Hopefully not to repeat yesterday's fiasco.

* * *

><p><strong>AN; Another Chapter. I won't be describing every lesson in this level of detail, i want to write at least one of each class like this i think. Magical animagi too, I was having trouble deciding between a phoenix and a goat. The next chapter might be a bit delayed. Enjoy**


	11. Chapter 11: Four Hearts, Two Bodies

Chapter 11: Four Hearts, Two bodies

We made our way down to the Quidditch pitch, not overly excited at the prospect of getting on a broom again.

Roughly half of the first years were already in the stands, they hadn't needed to walk from the dungeons to get out here. Harry and Hermione were hunched over a book together.

"How are my two favourite Gryffindors today?" I say loudly, making them jump. I push the cover of the book up, 'A Beginners Guide to Transfiguration'. "Ah, transfiguration." They look a tad embarrassed.

"Me n' Zack just got off transfiguration for the rest of the year." Tonks strikes a heroic pose, channelling Lockhart it would seem. "Our skills dazzled your head of house, You see."

"I think I need to transfigure your head a bit smaller Tonksie." I wink at her.

"Wait, wait. No transfiguration for the rest of the year?" Hermione asked

"What with us doing it to our bodies all day, The first year curriculum wouldn't be challenging, and we don't have enough raw power to pull off the wand based stuff of the same level. We could probably wing it in the fourth-year theory." I explained.

"Don't hesitate to ask for help on it though." Tonks offered. "It's all in the visualization." She pointed to her head.

Madam Hooch come over to our group.

"Mr. Jackson, good to see you in one piece. Would I be right in saying you two are not eager to get back on a broom?" She asks, motioning to Tonks too.

"If it's OK with you, I think we'd prefer not to." I look at Tonks who nods her head eagerly.

"Yes, yes. You will have to remain on the pitch or in the stands for the duration of the lessons still." She reminded us.

"I reckon we can find a way to entertain ourselves, Right Zack?" Tonks turned to me with a grin. We look back at Madam Hooch with matching grins.

She pinches the bridge of her nose. "If you were couple of years older I would be worried about what exactly you mean by that." She shakes her head and sighs. "Just … Try not to hurt yourselves." She says airily.

She strode into the centre of the pitch. "Gather round class." She called out.

"What's say you and I work on some wings?" Tonks drags me onto the heated section of the stands.

"I figure that it would be easier if you kept at scaly wings like mine. Freya is a great help for feathered wings, but dragon wings are a cooler." I open slits in the back of my robe, ready for the wings. "Oh, right. You can't make the slits yet. We can work on fabrics some more on Saturday. I suppose you can turn your arms into a wing for now, shouldn't be too hard moving it to your back."

Tonks was getting the rough shape of her wings right, I was working on putting veins through mine, I decided against having blood through the whole wing as pumping that much blood would be a big strain on my heart. I'd either need a bigger heart or … two.

"Tonks." I utter, almost whisper. "That's it."

She looked at me like I was crazy, she only has one arm.

"Two hearts." I say aloud.

"What? Why would you need two?" She asked, changing her arm back.

"It solves two problems really, since having a large heart would only solve the blood issue." I started talking, finding it hard to talk slowly. "The killing Curse. What does it do? How does it kill?"

"It stops the heart ..." She trailed off as her eyes grew wide. "You think that it can only stop one heart?"

"Well I don't really want to test it, but I think so. The curse kills you wherever it hits, right?" I ask her.

"Yeah, people have been hit in the hand with it and they die."

"So it travels through the body and stops the heart … How does it do it? Does it follow your magic? Your blood? Maybe that's why it target your heart" I pause to catch my breath.

Does my magical core have something to with my heart? Is our magic in our blood?

"You still in there Zack?" Tonks raps the side of my head.

"Cows."

"Excuse me?" Tonks says from my side.

"Does it kill cows?" I grab her arms

"Sure, kills anything supposedly." She says, adopting a confused expression.

"That's it!" I shout, jumping to my feet. "Cows are not magical, they don't have to be magical. The killing curse must follow blood. It's why it kills anything. Sure there is probably some dark magic in it too, Wouldn't leave a mark otherwise."

My head snaps round to look at Harry. "Unless it wasn't the killing curse he used on him."

A horcrux wouldn't be made accidentally, especially not by someone as intelligent as Tom Riddle. That's how Harry lived.

"Well Tonksie. Two hearts are better than one, or so they say." I grin at her.

"This doesn't seem like a good idea." She grins back.

"Catch me if I fall." I say, taking my seat. "Time to grow another heart."

I close my ears, cutting off a distracting sense. My heart. Constantly beating, keeping my blood flowing. Keeping my magic flowing.

"I suppose I should explain what I do, so you can have another if I can do it." She nods at this and pulls out a quill and a small green book. "Ever the Ravenclaw, Tonksie."

"So, I guess I will do a quick test in regards to magic and blood. I'll see if I can cast with no veins in my hand." I pull the veins and arteries back up my arm. It begins to pale. "Ok, no blood in my right arm. _Lumos_." My wand doesn't even flicker. "Wonderful. It would seem blood acts as a biological conduit for magic. Now for the hard part."

I focus on my heart. Four chambers, my aorta and heartstrings. "Wonder if I can use my own heartstrings in a wand." I have to make room for it first. "For the record, I'm shifting the shape of my right lung to make space for another heart, much like my left lung."

Lungs are simple to do really, if I grow my whole body, then shrink a heart shaped part of my lung away, it's like I gained nor lost any lung capacity. "And we have space." I open one eye, Tonks is writing in the book. "and now for the heart ..."

I figure that instead of creating a whole new vein system, it would work better if both hearts pumped out of the same tubes at the same time. "I'll be slowing my heart to half it's normal beating speed and have the new heart match that speed, I wouldn't want twice the blood pressure."

I make a ball of tissue first, getting the rough shape of my heart, then add the veins leaving it, but not connecting them up yet. I feel light headed, better make this quick. I hollow out the tissue and add the four chambers, checking that the heartstrings work fine, I let the blood flow into it.

"I think my hearts have stopped, Tonks." She look up at me.

I thump my chest a few times. They start up once my body understands it has another heart.

"Ah, there we are. Good as new." I jump up from my seat. "This is terrific."

"Are they both working?" Tonks looks excited at the prospect.

"Yes! Right, Now do yours." She look uncomfortable. "You'll be fine, oh, but don't slow your heart down until right before you link the new one up, and get it beating before you put blood inside. I got a bit light headed."

I start writing the new instructions into Tonks' book. There appear to be privacy charms and notice-me-nots, evidently they don't work on me, or I'm included in the scheme.

"Wow." Tonks says as she opens her eyes.

"Did it work? Are you ok?" I can hear the concern in my voice, I couldn't live with myself if anyone got hurt because of a stupid idea of mine, especially Tonks.

"Fantastic!" She cheers and starts jumping up and down. "I feel like I could run around the lake!"

I sag in relief.

"You know Tonks, If I'm right and magic is contained in our blood ..."

"Then we could hold more because we have more magic pumps in us?"

I blink.

"That's exactly what I was thinking."

"Not just a pretty face." She winks at me.

"But that's just a bonus with you." I shoot back with a smirk.

Madam Hooch dismisses the class, Harry and Hermione head over to us.

"Dare I ask what that shouting was about? I'm surprised I didn't hear a 'eureka!'." Harry said when they reached us.

"Nothing much, Just excited. Air flowing, blood pumping. Race you to dinner Tonksie!" I run off without waiting.

"No fair! You started before me!" She shouted at my back.

We stopped running as we left the Quidditch pitch, no point in running past the scenery after all.

"So you really think the killing curse only shorts out one heart?" Tonks asked me on the walk back.

"I wouldn't want to proof I was right honestly. I can't imagine it would be a painless process being hit by the curse. The only way we could know is if we did an MRI scan of someone when they get hit by it. Unless we were to grow a whole other person and split them off."

"You mean like a baby?"

"Are you suggesting we make a baby Tonks?" I smirk at her.

"Staps the heart ye say?" I hear Hagrid from behind me. I nearly jump out of my skin, which i'm sure I could do.

"I'm sure I just had two heart attacks." I grasp dramatically at my chest. "How did you sneak up on us like that?"

The half-giant let out a booming laugh.

"Jest 'cause I'm big, don't mean I can't be quiet when I need te be." I chuckled again as we walked past the school gates.

"You'd be surprised how many animals 'ave superb hearing. They'd 'ear me comin' otherwise." He pull out a finely carved staff. "I silencin' charm on me boots does a lot o' good too." The staff is his wand. Big man, big wand.

"I 'eard yeh talkin' abou' the killing curse. I think you'd be right 'bout it stopping hearts, although don go testin' that now." He frowns slightly. "Thestrals don't get stopped by 'em."

"Thestrals?" Tonks asks him.

"Big, skeletal winged horses. Got magic protectin' em so only those who have seen death can see em. I 'eard that the rumors about them being associated with death started when one got hit by the killin' curse."

"Why doesn't it take them down?" I ask.

"They ain't got no heart." He said simply.

"No heart?" Tonks and I ask simultaneously.

"No heart or blood. Don't have no organs neither. They like te eat meat, but only 'cause the only semblance they have to an organ is a tongue." He explained. "Don't harm no one that don't threaten 'em. Fiercely loyal to anyone that can give 'em somethin' they want."

"What would an undead skeleton horse want from a wizard?" There was a quick jab in my ribs. "Or witch?"

"Never found out meself. There's a herd of 'em inside the forest, maybe yeh could come down for lunch some time and meet em?" He seemed excited at showing off some beasties.

"Sure. How about tomorrow after lunch? I don't fancy listening to a ghost teach history. I think I might exorcize him by the end of class." Tonks offered.

"Ever the diplomat Tonksie." I grin. Hagrid lets out another bark of laughter as we arrive at dinner.

We take a seat at the closest end of the table and start filling up.

"I guess the reason dragon heart strings make such good wand cores is because they are soaked in blood for however long a dragon lives for." I tell Tonks, although not loud enough for anyone to overhear.

"What about a human heart string?" She whispered back. "Although i'd say Dumbledore's would be a bit more potent than mine."

"So, you distract him whilst I tear his heart out?" I grin. "Set quaffles to stun Tonksie." She smacks my arm and laughs.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: This isn't a Doctor Who crossover, Zack is just taking ideas from things and trying them out. I've got a very rough idea of what i'll be doing with years 1, 2 and 4. Enjoy**


	12. Chapter 12: Legilimens

Chapter 12: Legilimens

"Tearing out who's heart?" Chloe asked.

"Oh, never you mind. He won't miss is." Tonks told her.

Chloe let out an exasperated sigh.

"Tonksie." I say, waving my fingers. "Lets say I grow heart strings in my fingers, How do you think the magic would conduct?" I shift my veins to make room for the new material.

"I don't think it'd work like a wand. Maybe from one finger." She says, staring at her own hands. "Could try super charging a punch." I smile at this.

"What if I grow them inside my bones. I've heard of wands made of bones. It'd be like five organic wands." Moving the cores into my finger bones is easy.

"_Lumos_" This turned out to be a mistake, as my whole hand lit up the whole hall. I quickly snuff out the spell. "Sorry." I call, offering a wave.

"A bit unyeilding." I stick one finger out and try to light it up. "Ah, there we go, one finger, one wand."

A few of my table-mates stare at the finger in awe. Only Albus Dumbledore can use wandless magic, supposedly. Tonks replicates the glowing finger trick.

"There we go, easy." A smile lights up on her face. "I don't think i'll go trying it with an open hand any time soon."

"Mmm, I'm not even sure spells could leave a single finger, the "tip" of the wand is technically my bone, so it's like casting with a wand wrapped in cloth. Maybe we could test it out tomorrow after lunch?" Tonks nods her head eagerly.

"You two should head back to the tower and do that homework you have, Don't let it pile up." Chloe tells us.

"I suppose you're right, Coming Tonksie?" She nods and we make our way out of the hall.

"I'd have thought it'd have been harder to get a live core. I was thinking of taking a heart string from my own heart and moving it." I tell Tonks. "I thought it would be saturated in magic, but apparently it's just a good conductor."

I start whistling as we walk back to the tower.

"Damn Snape and his homework." Tonks grumbles after we begin out homework, We I say 'we', Tonks is doing hers, I'm just laying on one of the common rooms sofas.

"You could at least read a potions for moral support or something." She scowls at me.

I 'wandlessly' summon her potion book.

I can't catch very well so it hits me in the stomach instead.

"Smooth." She giggles at me.

Ignoring her, I leaf through the book for a minute.

"Here ya' go Tonksie, cutting techniques. Stuff about curved knife blades versus straight blades, Muddle the words about and make me a copy, I'll get us some butter beers." I've grown quite attached to the sweet drink since I stayed in the Leaky Cauldron.

"And where, oh master, would you get butter beers from?" She asks me dryly.

"Oh I know a couple of red-heads that wouldn't say no to me owing them a favour."

I turn and leave the common room in search of George and Fred.

I find them on the third floor.

"George and Fred." I say as they turn the corner, they jump slightly. "You look like something's got you spooked lads." I grow and put an arm round their shoulders."Been snooping around looking for puppies?"

Their heads snap round and look at me. "You've seen it?"

"The three-headed puppy? Of course." I tell them

"Mate, I don't know when you went..."

"But it's a bit more than a puppy now."

"You guys mean it's taller than 20 feet now?" I put on an excited face, although i'm not confident seeing it for real myself.

"If you call that a puppy... " Fred shuddered and trailed off.

"Anyway, I was hoping the two of you could procure me a crate of butterbeer." They look less startled now, business is their game.

"And what, oh firsty, could you offer us in return?" One of them asks.

I turn into a third Weasley. "Oh, Let's say that you needed two twins to be seen somewhere for an alibi, whilst the other was otherwise busy." I waggle my eyebrows.

They exchange a grin. "One crate of butterbeers coming up. Wait here whilst we go to the common room."

"Fat-lady portrait, second floor. I don't want to be waiting around with the Cerberus, I'm coming with you."

If they were shocked that I knew about their common room, they didn't show it. We took the stairs before they moved, cutting our trip down a ton.

"You'll have to wait out here though." They said when we arrived.

I clapped my hands, hoping to turn invisible.

"Did it work?" I asked.

They stared at me like I was crazy.

"Fine, just get going." I wave my hands at them. A few minutes later they come back with a tiny box.

"Well then gentlemen. One alibi, available when you need it, just not on Saturday or lesson times of course." I shake their hands and head back to the Ravenclaw tower.

"Here we are Tonksie." I announced as I got back to the tower. "One for you and one for me." We clink the glasses together.

"I wonder if they actually put butter in this." She muses aloud.

I quickly read through the potions homework. Who would have thought curved and straight blades were so different?

"What's on the agenda tomorrow, Zack?" She asks me.

"Uh, double defence with Quirrel," I read from my time-table. "Binns after lunch for History, but We'll go see Hagrid instead. We could play around with disillusionment charms during broom practise."

"I thought those were really difficult." She says.

"Ah, That's what I was forgetting. Books." I pull out a few of the magical theory books. "It's all in your mind, Tonksie. Forget everything anyone has ever said about magic. After you read those books there is another that's quite dear to me."

This is of course Gellert's book, but the less time it's out of my possession, the better. Maybe I could hide the name.

"G'night Tonksie." She ignores me, already digging into the books. "Don't stay up too late." Mostly to myself.

I head down to breakfast alone, Tonks wasn't in the common room when I got up.

I was roughly grabbed by Fred and George.

"No time to explain, Pretend to be George for breakfast. Someone tipped off Snape as to where we hide some of our stuff, George is going to get there before him."

Sensing the urgency, I change into George and sit down at the head to breakfast with Fred. I stop just outside the hall to right the words 'Going red for breakfast. Z.'.

"Follow my lead." I tell Fred as we walk towards Tonks.

"Looks to me like we are missing a metamorph, oh brother mine." I say as I hand Tonks the parchment.

"He said to pass along a message. Decided to go for a run around the lake." He countered.

When she'd read the note, she burnt it and said "Thanks fellas." With a wink. We walked to the Gryffindor table.

We ate for a bit, then I leaned over to Fred.

"Want to tell me what the fucks going on?" I would have preferred some notice.

Fred run his finger through his hair. "We don't tell anyone where we hide this stuff. Yet we wake up this morning and see Snape sticking his nose around the seventh floor, near where we stash it."

"And you happened to be on the seventh floor to see him?" I asked.

He looked like he had just spilled some secret. The map. Of course. I say the first thing that comes to mind.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." He chokes on his drink.

"H-how?" He spluttered out.

"You don't think I just stayed in bed on my first night in a magical castle do you?"

"I suppose you're right, George tripped over when he heard." He said with a small smile.

"So you _do _have a link." I whispered to him, some people looked scared, no doubt knowing nothing good comes from the twins whispering.

"Yes, yes. Back to Snape, We saw him on the map lurking about the seventh floor. George and I use the secret room to hide our stash, It's not on the map."

"You mean the library?"

"Typical bloody Ravenclaw. That room can turn into anything, and you had it make a library?" I grin at him. "I want to know how the greasy git found us out."

"Legilimens" I gasp.

"Come again?" He says.

"It's mind magic, strong stuff. When used right it can look through memories, emotions, that sort of thing."

"WHAT!" Fred shouted, going for his wand.

"Hold your hippogryphs, my handsome brother." I say in a conversational level voice. People look away, the banter is like norm.

"There are counters to it, Don't look them him in the eye for now. Learn occlumency, It's about building shields for your mind. Fortunately I can add a one way mirrored film to my eyes, so it'd give him a headache, maybe put him in a coma if he tried it on me."

"Occlumency, right. Oh, biggest grin you can manage." He nudged me as Snape stormed into the hall. We grinned at him.

Fred continued. "George is using the library to get a book on it, so you say until we can learn it, just don't look in his eyes?"

"From what I read, He would have to pull a wand on you to do it without eye contact."

"Good. Even Snape isn't that stupid. This explains how he always avoids our pranks."

"It's illegal to use unless you are duelling criminals. Let's go meet with George so I can get your ugly mug of my face." I take another gulp of pumpkin juice before heading out to meet George.

"Thanks, Zack." George says as we meet him on the third floor. "Really owe you one for this." I shake my head.

"Butter beers for an alibi."

"No way, This could have lost us our whole stock. Anything you need, let us know." Fred tells me.

I make a mental note to actually visit the Room of Requirements some time for real.

"Perhaps use of the map from time to time?" They seem to share a mental conversation for a few seconds.

"We've learned all the routes now, You can have it. We'll need it sometimes when we need to know the whereabouts of people, I'm sure you can understand."

"It's been a pleasure doing business." I grin at them. "Mischief managed"

On my way to DADA, I found out that I couldn't charm the cloth I create from my metamorphing, it's technically living matter until I sever it, so it won't hold things like silencing charms. I should try my hand as enchanting some day, the faux dragon-hide should hold enchants well.

"You're still red." Tonks tells me when I sit beside her in Quirrel's class. I morph back to my blue. Noting that we share this one with the Gryffindors.

"I tried to charm my living robe on the way down here. It's a not go for long term. But the clothes thing was only ever for disguises anyway."

"G-g-good M-m-m-morning, C-c-class" Quirrel somehow managed to stutter out.

"Merde." I mutter, Earning a chuckle from Hermione, Who was sitting in front of us.

"Harry, 'Mione. Read this, This class won't teach you anything anyway." I subtly pass them a book on occlumency. "Don't look Quirrel in the eye, I'll explain later."

"What was that?" Tonks whispers to me.

"Apparently wizards can read minds." Tonks gasps.

"Mum said they could, but not many people knew how."

"It's what got the twins rumbled this morning, Snape can do it. I guess Harry wouldn't want him sliding around in his noggin after that first potions class he had." I whisper loudly so Harry and Hermione can hear.

"Lucky for us, we can just add a thin, one-way mirrored film to the inside of our eyes." Tonks closes her eyes to morph them.

The rest of the lesson consisted of Quirrel stuttering before handing out a short quiz about general things. Then spent the duration of the quiz staring at Harry. Lunch couldn't come soon enough

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Visit to Hagrid next chapter. Enjoy**


	13. Chapter 13: Thestrals

Chapter 13: Thestrals

"Can we cross DADA off our list of useful lessons?" Tonks groaned as Quirrell managed to stutter out that our lesson was over.

"Maybe just the teacher, DADA is important after all." I say, trying to remember anything he had said the entire lesson. "Freya doesn't trust him." Said bird lands on my shoulder.

"How do you sync up your timing so well with Freya?" Hermione asks.

"Magic." I grin.

She lets out an exasperated sigh as we part ways in the Great Hall.

"Cheer up Tonksie." I say as we sit down. "I'm sure Hagrid will be better company than Quirrell."

Freya starts to pester Chloe for grapes.

"She really should stop getting people to feed her." Chloe says, still feeding Freya.

"Freya says she hunts for sport. Eating a rodent is beneath her." I say

"What do you mean she _says _that?" Chloe says in an almost mocking way.

"It's more a feeling she projects. I'm sure it's common with wizardy folk." I shrug.

Tonks is sitting rigidly, staring at this afternoon's Daily Prophet. I tap the side of her head.

"You in there Tonks? Rate of exchange on the galleon gone down?" I joke, she hands me the paper.

"New students at Hogwarts … blah blah blah … Menace to society … metamorphs? This can't be good." I skim the article. "Zack Jackson and Nymphadora Tonks. The meta-whore-phagus? They could have at least come up with something better."

I look up around the hall, people are muttering and pointing. People muttering and pointing is never good.

"Rita Skeeter." I read from the bottom of the article. "Of course."

"Mr. Jackson, Ms. Tonks, perhaps you could accompany me to my office?" Dumbledore spoke up from beside us.

I hadn't really expected to ever talk to the great Albus Dumbledore. I mean sure, he is the headmaster of my school, but the man is _The Man_ in charge of so much. ICW, Wizengamot and he holds an Order of Merlin, First Class. I am just a lowly student.

"Of course, Sir. Come, Freya." She swoops onto my shoulder. Dumbledore's eyes begin to twinkle.

We follow the old man through the castle, it seems like he is lost because he is pausing at intersections and looking around, but we soon arrive at the gargoyle.

"Blood pops." He says.

The statue starts to spin out of the way, revealing a winding set of stairs, We follow him up.

As we enter the oval office, Freya flies from my shoulder and lands on Fawkes' perch. I begin to look around the large room. It's full on instruments, whurring, whizzing and spinning away merrily. Large rugs cover most of the generic Hogwarts rocks. There is also a giant telescope, It doesn't look like it's gotten a lot of use. Tonks is staring open-mouthed around the room.

"You'll catch flies, Tonksie." I tap her chin, which promptly snaps shut.

Dumbledore chuckles softly. "It's quite alright my dear, I sometimes find myself captivated by the instruments of this office." His eyes twinkling away.

"I daresay you have too many, Headmaster." I tell him.

He chuckles again. "Yes, yes. I'm not entirely sure what they all do truth be told. I've found at least three that spin if another is spinning." He steeples his fingers. "Onto more urgent matters. I trust you have read this morning's Daily Prophet?"

"Yes sir, Not exactly painting us in good light." I tell him.

"Quite right. This particular reporter, Ms. Rita Skeeter, Often takes the occasional jab at yours truly." He gestures to himself. "Not the politest women in journalism I do say." His eyes twinkling more, if possible. Tonks gives a snort.

"Are there not laws against the slander of eleven year-olds?" I quiz him.

"Unfortunately they only include those children of prevalent pureblood families, and since you two are neither, there is nothing we can do but ask politely, to which we will be laughed at." He explains.

"So there isn't much that can defend us. I can marvel once again at the wizarding world." I sigh. "Perhaps you could at least remind them of the pureblood rule. I have a friend who could do without less publicity." Harry's life would be a lot easier without Skeeter writing lies about him for the next few years.

"An admirable goal, Mr. Jackson." He smiles at me, looking over his half-moon spectacles. "Now, you had best be off. Best not to keep Hagrid waiting." How does he knows? Just play it off.

"Coming Tonksie? Freya?" I call out.

"Quite the remarkable bird you have there, Zack" Dumbledore's eyes are a ball of mirthful twinkles.

"I could say the same to you, Albus." I quip.

We exit his office, the door closing seemingly on it's own, and Tonks stares at me.

"Did you just call the greatest wizard of our time _Albus_?" She looked at me incredulously.

"It _is _his name after all. Isn't that right Albus?" I say the last bit louder.

A muffled. "Quite right." Comes through the door as we walk down the steps.

The gargoyle slides shut as we walk through, Freya darts past at the least moment.

"Getting quite friendly with Fawkes there?" I smirk.

She looks down before flying out the window. I think I embarrassed a bird.

"You're mental." Tonks tells me.

"Ah, but all the best people are." We walk through the castle, heading for Hagrid's.

On the way down, we manage to pull off a 10 foot Hagrid morph, Almost his full height. We knock on his door.

"Hagrid!" He shouts as he opens it.

"Hagrid!" Tonks and I yell as we walk inside. We turn to eachother. "Hagrid!"

"'ope ye don' mind I told Dumbledore." He says when we settle in.

"It's ok, He seemed to find it funny." Tonks explained.

"Well, today yer' in luck. The thestrals are righ' near the edge of the forest. Best not be looking like me though, migh' spook em." We change back to something less Hagrid.

A short walk from Hagrid's hut, we came across a clearing just inside the tree-line.

"Ain't they beautiful?" He asks, gesturing to the clearing.

"I can't see them." Tonks whispered to me.

"Er Hagrid. Neither of us can see them." I tell the huge man.

"Oh righ'" He says, scratching his beard. "Forgot 'bout that. Only works with human death supposedly, so I can't just go catch a rat."

I'm curious as to where Hagrid has seen human death.

"Don' look at me like tha'." He says with a small smile. "I ain't as young as I look. I was a young man when Grindlewald rose to power, n' fought beside Dumbledore in those days as well as against You-know-who." He finished proudly.

Of course, Hagrid is at least 60, so he would have seen death in the wars.

"So." Tonks began. "How to we get around this obstacle, oh great Zack." She said mockingly.

I turn away from the thestrals closing my eyes. Thestrals. Hidden by some sort of magic and can only be perceived by that have witnessed human death. Perceived isn't the right word, It's only a lack of sight. You can smell them, touch them and hear them, even taste them. So how does one get around the sight? I spin back round.

"Right. There are thestrals here." I say walking into the clearing. I hear shuffling of feet, they don't want me to walk into them. "I can hear them and I'm sure I could touch them if I didn't value my fingers." Hagrid snorts at this.

Does seeing death put some sort of film over your eyes? Does it affect your magic? Best idea I have is to mash some Latin together and want to see these thestrals.

"So, We'll be out here for an hour or so." I muse aloud whilst pulling my wand out. "_Mors Manifesto_." I incant whilst pointing my wand between my eyes.

A thick black smog brushes over my face, I close my eyes, but it does nothing to stop it getting in. It stops as suddenly as it started.

"Worst case scenario, I've just been possessed by a demon, perhaps Death itself." I call out. "Best scenario, I've just invented a spell to see thestrals." I hear a chuckle, definitely not Hagrid or Tonks. I open my eyes.

"They're bigger than I expected." The large skeletal horses begin to form a circle around me. "I'm still not entirely certain that I'm not about to be possessed."

Hagrid broke out of his shock first. "Ye can see 'em?" He asked.

"Quite beautiful, in their own skeletal horse kind of way." I tell him, reaching my hand out.

"Don' do that!" Hagrid calls out, much too late.

"It's fine. This one seems to like me." I say as I scratch the side of it's neck. I hear Tonks gasp quietly.

"I have never seen a thestral take to a human quite like this." Dumbledore speaks up.

"Fantastic creatures like fantastic people, Albus." I tell him with a smirk, He chuckles.

"Quite right dear boy." I'm sure his eyes are twinkling

"But what makes them tick?" I say softly. "No discernible organs. No blood. _Propono._" I whisper. A small grid appears, It's a spell i've thought about before. It acts like a scan, and shows data up on this grid. The healer scanning charms show the outline of the person, with different colours for different things, This is like magical Star Trek.

Dumbledore takes a step closer, trying to see the grid whilst also eyeing the thestrals cautiously.

"Interesting." I speak up again. "No blood in the traditional sense, but they have a sort of black ichor moving around in them. Oh, this one behind me is pregnant. And they are all made up of pure magic. It seems the wards of Hogwarts are making the chart flicker, so I don't know if it is good or bad magic. Although it might be a bug in the spell."

"A _bug_?" Dumbledore asks.

"Er. Think of the arithmancy that makes up a spell, but imagine if one of the formulas were miscalculated." I start to explain.

"The spell would likely miss-fire, or not work as intended." He finished, nodding slowly.

"Exactly, I think this needs some more work." I tap the lattice with my finger. "I've adjusted it as much as I can, but it appears to be picking up the wards still. I'll have to add a filter for just living things. Or maybe one that filters out wards, as these thestrals sit somewhere between living and dead."

"One of 'em is pregnant?" Hagrid asks, almost jumping for joy.

I laugh at this. "Yep. Or at least this one here." I turn again. "Has two souls tethered to it, whilst the others only have one. So I assume it's a baby."

I stretch the lattice into an almost keyboard shaped extension, and start manipulating the spell.

"I can't even begin to tell you how much harder this would be without having a wand in each finger." I chuckle. "Having to press each of these individually." The thestrals had opened the circle, allowing Dumbledore to cautiously walk to me.

"I've never seen magic quite like this." He says in awe.

I laugh at this. "I don't think anyone besides me could have done it, Tonks could probably manipulate the bits that are not keyed to me, unless you want to split all your finger bones apart and put heart strings inside them?" I smirk at him.

He chuckles softly, still eyeing the thestrals. "I think I will stick to one wand." He pats the elder wand.

"Ah." I say. "That's why the thestrals are reacting strangely to you."

He stares at me, no twinkle.

"Your wand sir." I explain. "A thestral's tail hair inside, at least that's what this tells me." I have all the information on it right here, even down to it's carbon half-life decay levels, which make no sense as the wand is older than the carbon-14 decay cycle, but I press blank buttons and slide some things for effect whilst holding it over his wand.

"Wow." I let out a low whistle. "Your wand is old, older than the castle, in fact the only things holding it together is magic"

He stares at me wide-eyed. It seems he realises how much information this can display.

"If it makes you feel any better, The thestrals aren't going to attack you because the wand likes you." He bows his head slightly.

"Perhaps we should go to dinner. I believe the house-elves will be ready soon." He says quietly.

"Great! I'm starving over here." Tonks says.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry about the delay on this, i've been ill today. A little bit of wandless magic here, this grid spell will be used a lot. It's kind of a glowing lattice of magic with buttons and symbols that do nothing. Think of Dumbledore's office. Enjoy**


	14. Chapter 14: Pettigrew and Fluxline

Chapter 14: Pettigrew and Fluxline

"We missed broom practice" Tonks says as we walk back to the castle.

"I shall inform Madam Hooch that you will not be needing to be disciplined." Dumbledore told her.

Dumbledore's beard is quite magnificent. Intricate braids along with it's impressive length make it quite a sight. I start to replicate it.

Hagrid, Dumbledore, Tonks and I enter the Great Hall laughing over our new beards. I'm sure it made quite a sight.

Taking up our usual seat, we tuck in. Most of the school are currently in, I can see Harry and Hermione hunched over the beginners occlumency book. Maybe if he learns this early he can keep Voldy out in future.

I wave my hands, bringing up my grid. I should come up with a name for it. Zack grid? Flux grid? Flux something. Flux is a good word.

I start trying to create filters for it. Filter out life from the scan. Magical cores, different types of wards. This could probably pick up legilimens and veela allure. That could probably flood the scans.

My thoughts are interpreted by Tonks screeching in my ear. There is a rat on the table. The flux grid ( Still missing something there ) says it's not a rat. Scabbers. Peter. My hand shoots out and I send a powerful stunning spell through my fingers as I grab him and stand up abruptly, Holding 'Scabbers' in one hand and the Fluxline ( Good temporary name. Patent it ) in the other and walk to the teachers table.

"Headmaster." I say, breaking his conversation with McGonagall. "This is not a rat." I say, holding said rat out in front of me.

"Why it is not moving?" McGonagall asks me.

"I think I stunned it with my fingers. Anyway, This is not a rat." I explain.

"May I ask then, what it is?" Dumbledore asks me, his eyes are twinkling.

"This" I shake him. "Is a man."

"A man?" Flitwick asks me.

"To be precise, a wizard." I glance at my fluxline and hold it up infront of McGonagall. "Yes, yes." I mutter, holding it over Peter again. "An animagus."

The staff table gasps.

"Is there a way to force him out of the transformation? This might just be a student, in which case he is breaking the rules." I announce. "But I don't believe that any students here are thirty-one years of age." Drawing more gasps.

"Mr. Jackson, if you could set the rat on the pedestal." Dumbledore asks, whilst vaulting the table spectacularly. Whilst somehow transfiguring an ornate pedestal beside me. "The spell is slow, so if you would kindly place a body bind on whomever it may be." He raises his wand as I hold my hand near the rat.

He waves the elder wand at the rat, who grows into a small fat man.

I punch him in the gut. Hard.

"Was that necessary?" Dumbledore asks me, eye twinkling.

"Of course, I had to make sure the spell stuck." I grin at him.

Everyone looks at the frozen fat man.

"Peter Pettigrew." McGonagall whispers.

"Pettigrew!" I hear people shout.

"Minerva. If you could please call the Aurors and Madam Bones. I do believe there is an innocent man in Azkaban. _Ennervate_." He points at Peter.

The man groans then freezes as he realises he is a man.

"P-professor!" He squeaks out.

"So who is this guy?" I ask.

"This _swine._" Have to love Snape sometimes. "Betrayed the hidden location of the Potters to the Dark Lord."

I look at Harry, He is staring slack jawed at the fat man.

"Harry." Dumbledore says softly.

Harry stands up and begins to walk to the front of the hall. All eyes follow him. He gets to the front on the hall, looking around me at Peter, I appear have placed myself in the wrong spot. He looks at me.

"Thank you." He says with the smallest hint of a smile.

I should say something useful. Don't fuck this up.

"Have at him. I do think he has earned it." I grin at him before taking a short bow and stepping aside.

Harry stares at the fat man for a short time. The Aurors enter the hall and begin swarming in.

"You've got time for one good kick before the Aurors take him for good." I say as fast as I can, Glancing around again. "Make it count, Potter." I wink at him.

"Mr. Jackson!" McGonagall gasps at me. Harry seems to get my meaning and takes a few fast steps and kicks Peter in the teeth. A sickening crunch resounds around the room.

The Aurors roughly pick a wailing Peter up off the floor. Madam Bones walks to Harry.

"If I didn't stop then I would be no better than him." He says quietly.

"I think you deserve another kick." I supply helpfully.

Harry kicks Peter in the balls.

"Mr. Potter!" McGonagall gasps again, looking at Madam Bones.

The Aurors exchange a look with the Head of the DMLE. She shrugs. I grin.

"Oh, He is an animagus. Just in case it wasn't mentioned when you were called." I supply helpfully.

"Mr. Jackson, I presume?" She asks me.

"Yes, Ma'am"

"I will need you to come to the Ministry to answer some questions." She looks at Dumbledore. "Normally I would not do this in school time, but as this will be a high profile case, I have to take him now. You will also need to come for obvious reasons." She explains.

"Come along, Zack." He says to me.

We follow the Aurors to McGonagall's office, it's the closest that has outbound floo. A large dark skinned Auror grabs some floo powder.

"Ministry of Magic. Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Hippogriff." He says loudly. Nice choice of password.

"Bend you knees." Dumbledore says to me as we walk through.

There was a spinning of colours and lots of fireplace grates flowing by. I try and stop but I only slow down a bit before being thrown through the Ministry fireplace, sliding a few metres across the floor.

"Never seen anyone fly out of a fireplace before, kid." I hear a gruff voice beside me, then a strong arm pulling me up.

I turn to see a horribly scarred face, the big spinning eye is hard to miss and he appears to be missing a large chunk of his nose.

"I've never flown out of a fireplace before, Sir." I say to him, smiling all the way. "Curious set-up though."

I walk back to the fireplace before pulling up a fluxline. Ceramic lined with metal, blah blah blah. Ah, runes. Seems to be connected to a large grid that spans all over London. Somebody could bring down this whole section if they knew how. The password ward just seems to disable a mesh that would make coming through impossible. I move the fluxline over the floo powder beside it. Some sort of gunpowder composite with unicorn horn and snake fangs inside. Traces of silver inside the pot, it appears that the recipe has been changed but the pot hasn't been cleaned.

"There is silver residue on this pot. I would imagine that would cause havok if any got in with this new floo powder." I announce to the crowd, including an Unspeakable who was staring at my fluxline.

"May I suggest we move on to the questioning chamber?" Dumbledore chimed in, getting the crowd to move.

"Are there any forms of magical transport that don't involve me being thrown around?" I ask him when we begin to walk.

He chuckles. "Apparation isn't so bad once you get used to the feel." He explains to me. "Perhaps you could create a new one? We haven't gotten a new one recently." I nod slightly, pulling out a fluxline to scan the Ministry.

"Pretty big place they got, eh?" I say, spinning on the spot scanning everything we walk past.

"Yes." Dumbledore says. "This is the largest magical building in Britain. Many floors full of many mysteries."

"Mysteries?" I ask. "There is a whole floor that seems to be shrouded." I start twisting some of the lattice together. "Ah! There we go. It seems to be shifting around." I peer closely at the spinning and whizzing parts. "Although the doors tend to stay put, the rest of it is in a constant state of flux. Very cool." I hold up the fluxline to Dumbledore, who doesn't even pretend to understand it.

We arrive at the elevator, which has expanded to let the Aurors and us inside. I casually toy with the fluxline.

"Hey, kid." Mad-eye says. "What is that thing? Not even my eye can penetrate the Department of Mysteries." He asks me. I can understand him feeling unsettled by it.

"I call it a Fluxline. It's a working title." I explain. "It can be a scanner or an information holder. Anything really. It's how I saw that the rat was a man, The scan showed that he was similar to Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore in the respect that they are all animagi."

"What about when you looked into the DoM?" The Unspeakable asked.

"Initially I couldn't see it, I had to filter out the veil. Although there is one room that was unsettling, but I think it's supposed to be a secret."

"What room?" He asked, he was sweating.

"Erm." I fiddle with the lattice whilst trying to figure out what to say. "There is an arch inside. A truly horrific thing. Do you know it's there? It shouldn't be there."

The elevator opens and I get led to a questioning room, Dumbledore speaks to me before I enter.

"Do not forfeit your wand, nor submit to veritaserum." He tells me, I nod.

Madam Bones is in the room when I enter and take a seat.

"Mr. Jackson, Firstly we would like to congratulate you for finding this man and the Minister himself would like for you to come to the Ministry tomorrow morning for a few minutes so you can be thanked in person." She said in an overly sweet voice.

I lay my fluxline on the table instead on banishing it. It's mapping out the ministry, but they don't need to know that.

"I suppose I could get up early and have breakfast here, I'd hate to miss potions." I explain to her.

"That can be arranged." She says. "Now, could you explain to me how you captured Mr. Pettigrew?"

I gave a brief recount of how I was fiddling with my fluxline and saw a rat crawling on the table.

"So what is this uh fluxline?" She asked me afterwards.

"Unfinished." I smirk at her.

"Of course it is." She smiles and shakes her head. "I will collect you from Hogwarts at seven. You will be back in an hour at latest. Pick up the Daily Prophet"

I left the room to find the Unspeakable pestering Dumbledore.

"Ah, Zack. We were just talking about you." He says, brightening up now that the Unspeakable has stopped talking. "We had best get back to Hogwarts before you miss Astronomy." We head for the elevator.

"What's going to happen to that Pettigrew guy?" I question him.

"He will be sent to Azkaban. What happens inside is anyone's guess." He said curtly.

"I have a feeling that the Minister isn't the type to sit down for tea to say thanks, is he?"

Dumbledore thought for a moment before speaking.

"It's likely that he will give you a medal of sorts and then try and bask in the spotlight next to you in front of the press."

"The same press that slandered me?" I ask dryly.

"Floo back? Or apparate?" He says, smiling at me.

"Flooing is more direct I suppose."

"Hogwarts Headmasters office." He says clearly before striding into the flames.

"What the hell." I mutter before running through.

I quickly find my self spinning again before being thrown across his office. Freya bites at me ear.

"Hey girl." I mumble out. "Fancy seeing you here."

"Ah. It would seem there are only minutes until you class begins." Dumbledore says to me. "Walk or apparate?" He asks.

"One more can't hurt I suppose." I say, grasping his arm.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Powering through being ill, here is another one. Still not sure about the fluxline name. Order of merlin next time. Enjoy**


	15. Chapter 15: Order of Merlin, First Class

Chapter 15: Order of Merlin, First Class

I slap down on the cold stones near the bottom of the astronomy tower. A few people shriek in surprise at our sudden arrival.

"Nice to see you Headmaster." Professor Sinistra greets the old man. "How did it go at the ministry?"

"Don't mind me." I grumble out. "Just laying on the floor." I push myself up.

"I had best be off." Dumbledore disappears with a soft pop.

"Now that everyone is here, let's ascend." Sinistra calls over the sleepy first-years.

I'm not entirely sure what the point of astronomy at this level is for. We use old telescopes that are made for pirate ships, not star-gazing. Sinistra hands out sheets of parchment, and then tells us to plot where in the sky they appear.

She has more sense than to try and _not _pair me with Tonks.

"How'd it go?" Tonks whispers to me.

"Eh." I shrug. "I'm meeting the Minister of Magic tomorrow morning, so I'll miss breakfast."

"Going to leave me alone in potions?" She pouts.

"Should be done by then, although that depends of how much Fudge loves the cameras." Tonks snorts.

"You'll be lucky if you get back by lunch." She mutters.

I turn to my dirty telescope and eye it with disdain. Why would they make dirty ones? Maybe this is just second-hand or something. I'm sure I can get my eyes to at least that of a modern telescope. To my knowledge, the more length I can put between the lenses in my eye, the more magnified it is. So a binoculars adjust their focal length my moving the mirrors slightly, or something like that. If I can make a load of different mirrored parts, reflecting what I see all around the sphere of my eye, it'll be like a telescope, right?

Altering my eyes isn't too hard, but most of the time I'm limited to things similar to animals, this idea is going to be like a finely tuned machine using flat plains of liquid in the place of mirrors. My vision immediately cuts off as I change the composition of my eyes, a telescope would be easier, but this is more fun.

Light floods my vision as I line up the reflections. I can see a star in ridiculous detail. I know that I'm not witnessing it live, as this is light that's pretty damn old, but it's still incredible.

"Zack, Why do your eyes look like diamonds?" Tonks asks me, I can't see her.

"Are you hitting on me Tonks?" I grin, earning a smack on my arm.

"You know what I mean." I can her smile.

"I have telescopes for eyes." I say simply.

"Telescopes for eyes?" The Professor says from the opposite side of me to Tonks. She gasps when she can see my eyes I assume.

"Yes." I say. "Stars are quite magnificent up close. _Exsto._" I whisper, waving my wand. In theory it should create a projection of my sight.

It feels like it worked, judging by the gasps, they are now seeing what I'm seeing.

"Tell me if it's working, please." I smirk

"Yes." Someone says.

"Hang on, I'll try and pull the view out a bit." I blink and remove some of the mirrored parts.

"Eew. I think we just the veins in your eyes." Tonks says.

"Neat."

"There we go, more of a wide lens view. _Repono._" I say, waving my wand at where the aberration should be, hopefully putting it in stasis.

I change my eyes back to normal.

"Wow, looks a lot better than what I was seeing."

A projection hangs over the top of the astronomy tower, like a close-up of the sky.

"Have fun with this, I don't have any idea how long it will last, but I'll wager that it's better than using a telescope." I smirk at them.

The class jolts into actions, taking notes from the projection.

"I wonder if I can make a model of this." I mumble, drawing up a fluxline. "Having an interactive star map would be pretty cool."

"An interactive map? No such thing exists!" Sinistra tries to make sense of the fluxline.

"Map isn't the right word really." I explain. "It will be like standing inside a model of the sky. I don't know if it's possible, but I can look about making it in the future."

"You are a remarkable young man, Mr. Jackson." She tells me.

"Don't I know it." I grumble.

"You lot had better get going, the curfew won't extend by much. Chop-chop."

The first-years scamper down the stairs.

I yawn as we get back to the tower. "Night Tonksie." I call to her. I get a groan in response.

When I get back to my room, I begin hiding the name on Gellert's book. There are some other concealment charms on it, possibly hiding pages already, but they appear to be keyed to Gellert, So if I remove them they will probably wipe the pages. The best I can manage is to get rid of Gellert's name and all mention of his ideals and Dumbledore.

I knock back a dreamless sleep potion and wait for the effects.

I get woken up by someone hammering on my door. I roll out of bed and open the door for Flitwick.

"Madam Bones is here to escort you to the Ministry." I squeaks. Excited for some reason. "I must commend you for the locking charm on your door, I couldn't get it open, so I knocked."

I stare at him, still mostly asleep before it clicks. "Oh, right. I've attached metal braces to the stones inside, and I just drop a piece of wood across the door. I reckon you'd have to blast it real hard to get it open."

He blinks at me. I walk through the castle to the Great Hall, where Madam Bones is talking to Susan Bones.

"Good Morning, Madam Bones." I greet her.

"I'm afraid we must be off Susan." She hugs her niece on the way out. "I trust you have apparated before?" She asks after we leave the Hogwarts ward line.

I groan. "Unfortunately, yes. Let's get this over with." I grasp her proffered arm. A quick whirl around space and we land in an office. "That was a lot better than Dumbledore's." She smiles at this.

"Best not keep the Minister waiting." She gestures for me to follow her.

We walk past the giant statue in the middle of the atrium to a raised podium. The Minister does a small jog to meet me.

"Ah! Mr. Jackson! So glad to meet you!" He said his obscene energy.

"Likewise, sir." I say politely. "It's an honour to meet the Minister of Magic." I'm actually a bit surprised that I'm meeting all these famous people, but I suppose there are not as many wizards out there.

"Ladies and Gentlemen." He announces as we take centre-stage. "Today, we are joined by the young man that captured the betrayer, Peter Pettigrew!" There was a murmur amongst the press as cameras flashed. "We have rescinded the falsely given Order of Merlin from Mr. Pettigrew and will be presenting it today to Mr. Jackson!" Order of Merlin? Didn't Peter get one when he supposedly lost his life fighting Sirius?

Fudge picked up a small box from the pedestal and opened it to reveal a medal with blue and white ribbons beneath it. "Zack Jackson. Order of Merlin, First Class" is engraved of the front. Fuck me.

Fudge pinned it on my shirt and tapped it with his wand, sending an odd wave of magic across my body. He put an arm around me then whispered. "Smile and wave." In a happy voice. He was born for this.

Needing no further instructions I throw on a grin then wave to the cameras. Fudge hands me the microphone and gesture to the pedestal. Speeches. Great.

I clear my throat. "First I would like to thank our Minister for bestowing this great honour upon me." So far, so good. Time for a joke. "I feel like I've been accepted into some sort of exclusive club." This earns some polite laughs. "Albus Dumbledore, Minister Fudge." I look down at my own medal. "Thank You." I figure that'll hold em, and earn me a favour from Fudge. I hand him the mic back.

"I have also been told that Sirius Black was removed from Azkaban Prison and is currently in recuperation under the finest healers in St. Mungos. He is not ready to receive his medal yet, but he is making a swift recovery." The crowd applauds. I wonder if he writes this stuff himself.

An Auror catches my eye as we leave the stage. We walk over to him, he salutes Fudge, almost mockingly.

"I must take my leave now, Auror Tonks will escort you back." He says with a jovial smile.

"Tonks?" I blurt out. He raises an eyebrow.

"Have we met?" He asks me.

"Erm, no sir, but I'm familiar with another Tonks." I say as I change into Tonks, er Tonksie.

"Ah! The other metamorph!" He exclaimed. "I wondered why your name was familiar, horrible people run the paper." He said with a sour expression.

"Tell me about it. Slandering me one day, Order of Merlin the next." I sigh. He chuckles at this.

"Best be getting you back to Hogwarts." He holds his arm out when we reach the apparition point. We disappear with a loud crack.

My body smacks down on the cobbles near Hogwarts' gates.

"That was worst yet." I grumble out.

"Keep on eye on my Nym, OK?" He tells me more than asks.

"Yessir." I salute him with a grin.

The gate's locked. Ted is gone. I should have flooed back.

"Shit." I mutter.

I knock on the gates.

Surprise surprise. No answer. At least Freya is here now.

"Come to enjoy the show?" I ask her, she barks at me.

I pull up a fluxline. Maybe I can crack the gate ward.

The fluxline fills with information. So many wards and enchants floating about the place. Every stone is the same kind, all masoned by tools, not magic. Goblins perhaps? Maybe they employed muggles. The gate has wards that would set off an alarm in Dumbledore's office if I attacked it. Like a door bell, but I'd probably be killed if I ring it. I place the fluxline against the wall of the wards, it expands along the solid magic a few inches. I think it just integrated itself as an interface for the wards, maybe I can just make a little hole in them? I grab two twines of the fluxline as stretch them apart. I see a shimmer and the wards seem to open a gap. Was it that easy? I crawl through and move the gap shut again. What?

"Very good." Dumbledore claps from the other side of the gate. "I thought it would take longer."

"Those weren't the real wards, were they?" I sigh.

"Oh heavens no!" He chuckles. "I was just, how do you say, playing a game." His eyes are on full blast sparkle.

He waves his wand and the gates open. I walk through.

"Run along, I do believe that you potions class will be starting soon." He wouldn't, would he? He explodes in a ball of fire, leaving me ten minutes to get to potions. Bastard. I turn into the dragon man and take off in a sprint.

I arrive at the doors as the last person is filing in, quickly changing back to a human, I act as if I was there the whole time. I sit beside Tonks and offer her a grin whilst tapping my medal. She stares at me for a moment before matching my smile and hugging me quickly.

Snape catches my eye, I think he almost thought about smiling at me for a moment. Clearly he saw how close I was to being late.

"Page 96. Bruise salve. You have until lunch to bottle up a working cure." He waves his wand, the instructions also appear on the board. "Begin."

As we get to work Snape walks by our desk and stops. "Congratulations, Mr. Jackson." He looks at the medal briefly before walking away.

What?

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I think i'm going to make Snape not as awful as in canon. The only marauder he had any beef with was James but not from pranks as Remus and Sirius would have been on good terms with Snape. It'll become clearer when Sirius is released from St. Mungos. Enjoy. **


	16. Chapter 16: The Prisoner Of Azkaban

Chapter 16: The Prisoner Of Azkaban

We finished our bruise salve, It didn't smell nice at all. I think that's a good thing. Snape dismissed us for lunch after we handed in the bottle.

Snape is an enigma so far, He doesn't seem to be the same as the books at all. Well he was foul to Harry, but I think his hatred of James Potter is all it is. He might take a shine to Harry if he gets his potions up to scratch. Although this _is _Severus Snape, so it might not be possible.

"I met your Dad today." I tell Tonks as we walk through the castle.

"What? When?"

"He apparated me back here after I got the medal." I tap it with my finger.

"Oh no." She moaned. "He sucks at apparating. I'm surprised you came through in one piece." She looked ever me for splinches.

"I think it knocked a tooth out, but other that assaulting me he seemed nice." She laughs at this.

"Yep." She grins. "He's an Auror, kicks all kinds of arse." She finished proudly.

We walked in to the Great Hall and I was greeted by an applause. I was tempted to give them the bird, but I'll not turn away a good applause. Most of the Slytherin table looked sour. We sat with Harry and Hermione.

"How's it going?" Tonks asks them.

"I've just been told my godfather has been in Azkaban for 11 years for no reason." Harry told us.

"Neat" I say. "You live with muggles right now, don't you?" I pretend to know less than I do. He nods. "Maybe you can live with him, He's your cousin right, Tonksie?"

"Sure is, Ex-convict Sirius Black. Got a ring to it." She laughed.

The owls came in and delivered the Daily Prophet, it was held back due to big stories.

"Sirius Black proved innocent." I read aloud. "Student captures Peter Pettigrew. Awarded Order of Merlin, First Class. Huh. Sounds like a pretty cool guy." I hand the paper over to Harry who reads it quickly, Hermione peeking over his shoulder.

"You got an Order of Merlin?" She asks me, and looking at my medal.

"Nah, beat up the guy that looks like be and stole it." I begin to eat a sandwich.

"Sirius wants to meet me." Harry says quietly.

"Yeah, Fudge mentioned that. Supposed to be getting an Order of Merlin himself too." I say past chewed bread.

The doors flew open suddenly, slamming against the stone walls much louder than it would have normally. Must be a sonorous charm like I use for my books.

"I've always wanted to do that." The man said before pulling back the hood, revealing Sirius Black.

"Awesome!" I yell out and begin clapping.

"Thank You." He chuckles and takes a bow.

Harry gets up and runs to Sirius, who opens his arms. It's quite touching really, watching him jump into his arms and spin around.

Dumbledore walks down the centre of the hall and pulls Sirius into a hug. Snape appears next, he holds out his hand and says "Padfoot."

I pull out the marauders map, whisper the pass phrase and see that on the map, sure enough 'Sirius "Padfoot" Black' Was displayed next to Harry Potter.

"Padfoot." I say out loud.

"Padfoot?!" The twins say louder, exchanging a look.

"Padfoot!" I call to them, waving that piece of parchment and point at Sirius.

"I thought that was destroyed." Sirius mumbles to himself.

I figure that I've have a fluxline scanning the map non-stop since I invented it, so I probably can pull off my next trick.

"I suppose I should give this back." I say to him. "Mischief managed, so to speak." I wink at him.

"Albus." Sirius said. "If I could have a private word with my godson and this lad." He pats me on the shoulder.

"That would be acceptable." Dumbledore said. "Take all the time you need, You have a lot of catching up to do." He led us to the antechamber behind the Great Hall and turned to Sirius. "I do hope you can forgive me."

"Albus." He says. "It was war. People needed someone to blame."

"I must admit I am intrigued as to what this parchment is." Dumbledore said, peering at the map.

"This." Sirius says as I hand him the map "is the Marauders map. It shows all of the castle and everyone's positions in it. I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." The map welcomed 'Padfoot' back to the map before transforming into a layout of the Great Hall and this antechamber.

"Remarkable." Dumbledore said with a smile.

"With all due respect to an original Marauder and Headmaster, but this map is old and outdated." Sirius looked shocked.

"Now, I present, unto you, with honourable mention to Padfoot, The Marauders Map 2.0."

I pull out a fluxline in each hand and freeze them in the air, one above the other. For effect, I click my fingers causing the twines of magic to start whirling around the room, forming a tiny wire-frame representation of Hogwarts. My audience are in awe.

"Granted this big one isn't as compact as the first edition, but just as accurate.

"Albus, Why have you got Merlin in first year robes?" Sirius said, circling the castle. "How does it work?"

"Grab two point, one with your wand, the other with a finger, and pull them apart, it will zoom in." I explained. "Of course I can just do it with two fingers. This is the first time I've rendered the whole castle, it should work OK."

Dumbledore begins to play around with the castle whilst Harry and Sirius talk.

"Obviously I've taken out all of the hidden room and part hidden by wards." I tell Dumbledore.

"Such as?"

"There is a giant chamber in the school. Something called Rosie lives in it." Dumbledore spins and looked at me. "Erm, a secret room that changes size and places like bedrooms and other warded areas don't show up."

I drop the map and crouch down.

"Sorry." I say. "A full render like that really takes it out of me. I suppose I could try and tether it to something, but I know nothing about enchanting."

"I'm sure if you ever learned, many people would pay handsomely for such a map." Sirius said to me. "Oh, I suppose you know me, but I don't know you." He held out his hand.

"Zack Jackson." I tell him. His eyes widen and he looks at my medal.

"Thank you." He pulls me into a hug. "Thank you so much."

"No problem, Mr. Black. I got to punch the fat guy twice, so I call that a success."

"Please, Just Padfoot." He says shaking his head. "Although I think you'll be needing a name for yourself after the map overhaul."

A Marauder name? Only one thing for it.

"I'm the Doctor." I say with a grin. "Albus, Do you have any volumes on enchanting? Or know anyone that does? I'd love to make one of these for Hogwarts. Also, because I made it based on my fluxline system, it can monitor the wards and stuff like that."

"I am currently in possession of a rather powerful object that belongs to one of the most knowledgeable enchanters the world has ever seen." He smiles benignly. "Perhaps we could pay him a visit next year. He is currently hidden from the world, He and his wife only surface during the summer. But for now I will leave this reunion, I have business to attend to." He took off.

"So." I say to Harry. "I hear that you got on the Quidditch team when I missed class."

"What?!" Sirius shouted. "Quidditch team in your first year?" He picked Harry up and spun him around.

"A boy name Neville Longbottom hurt himself and dropped his remembrall." Harry started to tell the tale. "So Malfoy" Sirius snorted at the name. "Picked it up and threw it, so I just flew after it and caught it. Thought McGonagall was going to skin me, but then I was told I had the seeker position."

Sirius, who had been listening in rapt attention, jumped up and cheered. "First-year seeker! James would be proud." Harry seemed happy at this.

"So, How come you got out of St. Mungos so early, Padfoot?" I asked after he settled down.

"Sweet talked a nurse into letting me go. I'm fine!" He claimed.

"Mind if I give you a sweep over with the fluxline?" I asked, summoning it.

"Go ahead." He said, holding his arms out.

I held it in front of him, watching the ever shifting lattice alter. "Hang on, Harry is kicking up interference. Stand behind me would ya?" I smirk. "Traces of clearing up infections. Hairline fractures that are healing up nicely. Potions flowing through you veins, slight iron deficiency. Oh? Animagus I see?" He gasps at this. "Aftershock of over-exposure to dementors, that's a new one for my grid. Erm let's see. Core slightly diminished, a good nights rest will cure that. Oh … I don't know if the healers picked this up, but you appear to be erm" I squirm a bit, not wanting to tell this to anyone.

"What is it?" He asked

"Well, you're slightly infertile, but the margin for error is pretty high because Harry's magic is flooding this room."

"When you say almost, what could the error include?"

"Seems that it could be anywhere from only slightly less, to a pretty low chance, so nothing definite." I explain. "Can I scan You afterwards, Harry? I'd like to be able to filter you out in future."

He nods in acceptance.

"Right, the last thing, Padfoot." I start again. "You're occlumency shield is almost completely unbreakable. It's insane. Even though it's been attacked by dementors for eleven years every day, it's still completely untarnished."

He lets out a bark of laughter at this.

"It'll take a bit more than dementors to crack this nut. James and I were the top to ever graduate the Auror academy." He says proudly.

"You and Dad were Aurors?" Harry asks in awe.

"Sure was kiddo." He says with a smile. "We were the face of the Auror department. Two handsome Auror captains. We held our own against fifteen deatheaters one time."

"Can you scan Harry now?" He asks me after recounting the fight against the deatheaters.

"Sure thing." I spin to point at Harry.

"Holy shit." I murmur.

I knew he was powerful, but this is almost unbelievable.

"You are powerful. I mean like Dumbledore strength and you're only eleven."

"He's as strong as Dumbledore?" Sirius asks with wide eyes.

"A bit less, but for eleven that's insane. Baring in mind that it will grow at least 30% by the time he has finished his second year." I let out a low whistle. "Remind me not to piss you off."

"Well." Sirius said, leaning back in his chair. "Ain't that something."

"Bit of an understatement." I tell him.

"How long have you been working on this map thing then?" He asks me.

"Erm. Maybe a day? I only made this fluxline spell yesterday afternoon, so the idea for the castle map was thought up on the way to this room."

He stares at me.

"He just does stuff, it happens." Harry supplied helpfully.

"What year are you in?" Sirius asks me.

"First-year. Only found out I was a wizard about a month ago." I smirk at him.

"You look at least sixteen though." He runs his eyes over me critically. "You having me on?"

I morph into a copy. "I'm quite an accomplished metamorph. Tonksie is too."

He quickly gets over his shock. "Tonks? Like Andi and Ted Tonks?"

"Yes but their daughter, Nymphadora, but don't call her that it's just Tonks."

"Two metamorphs in the same school?" His brain almost starts kicking out smoke.

"And I thought I was a big thing in school. You've got the genius metamorph and the more-powerful-than-merlin, first year Quidditch star! We really missed out."

"Times are changing, old man." I wink at him.

"Hey!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sirius is back, new marauders. Snape isn't so bad? I've just corrected some spelling errors that i somehow missed on the two proof-reads. sorry. Enjoy! **


	17. Chapter 17: Lord Black and Tom Riddle

Chapter 17: Lord Black and Tom Riddle

Harry and I missed our last lesson as we were talking to Sirius for it's duration, He easily convinced Harry that when his house was ready that he would be able to live with him, as he was never given a trial, he didn't lose any of his standing as Harry's legal guardian.

"I don't suppose you any of you know what happened to Arcturus Black whilst I was in Azkaban, do you?" Sirius asked us when we were sitting at the Gryffindor table.

Tonks, being almost part of the Black line, knew.

"He uh, passed away in February." She said quietly.

"Oh no." Sirius said, dropping his head into his hands. "This isn't good."

My mind kicked into overdrive, Besides Harry and Draco, there are no other black males left besides Sirius, but he was dis-owned.

"Harry or Draco then?" I say out loud.

"Much, much worse." Sirius said. "Old Arcturus re-adopted me after my dear mother died whilst I was in Azkaban."

"_You?_" I almost shout at him.

He nods mutely.

"Bwahaha." I let out a huge bout of laughter.

"What's going on?" Hermione asked, clearly trying to follow the whole thing.

"Don't talk now 'Mione." I say. "The likes of us can't talk in the presence of the esteemed Lord Black." I say, still grinning at Sirius.

"This is going to be a nightmare." He groans, putting his forehead firmly on the table.

"You aren't acting in a befitting manner for someone of your stature, _Milord._" Tonks chimes in.

He mutters something unintelligible.

"Don't mutter _Milord." _Tonks jabs his ribs.

"I don't mutter." He mutters. "Maybe I can adopt Andi and Tonks back in and make Ted the new Lord Black."

"I'm sure all the other Lords would _love _that." I smirk at him.

"At least on the bright side I'll have one of the best warded houses in Britain. The Blacks were so paranoid they would make Mad-Eye look like a school girl." He says. "No offence." He says to Tonks. "Is Mad-Eye still kicking?" He asks when we resume our meals.

I morph into his grizzled face.

"I can't do the eye, but yeah he is still around, saw him in the Ministry building."

"Looks like he's lost part of his nose since we last worked together." He says whilst examining my face.

"Looks like you lot should be going and getting on with homework now." Sirius tells us when we finish.

"Maybe you would like to come and see that changing room that doesn't show up on your map?" I say cryptically, knowing people were listening.

Sirius' eyes light up. "Let's be off!" He grabs my arm as he leads me from the hall.

I follow him for a few minutes. We get to the third floor before he realises he isn't leading. He starts laughing.

"Been a while since I've been taken somewhere new." He smirks beside himself.

"One false turn and you could run into a Cerberus on this floor." I tell him, watching the colour drain from his face.

"You're joking, right?" Hoping he is right, I'm sure.

"Nope, This door right here." I say opening it, ignoring his protests. "The map says it's called Fluffy."

"W-wait." He stutters out. "Your map does animals too?"

"Most of them, yes. It can find animagi too."

He lets out a low whistle. "Our could never do animagi, the four of us just didn't show up when we transformed."

"Ah. That explains why nobody saw Peter on it." Fred and George probably would have said something if they saw a dead man in their brothers bed.

"Thanks again for finding him." He says sincerely.

"It was an accident really." I wave him off as we head to the seventh floor.

"Here we are." I announce as we face the blank wall.

"It's blank." He says. An expression of understanding spreads over his face. "Like the platform at King's Cross?" He asks. What?.

"Exactly." I say.

He starts walking forward to go through the wall and simply smacks into it.

"I set myself up there didn't I?" He grumbled from the floor.

"Yep." I pull him up from the ground. "Just think about what room you need, spin three times and it will appear." I demonstrated by bringing the hidden object room here.

"Bloody hell." He says as the door appears.

"Indeed. This is where people go to hide things." I tell him as we walk around the room.

"It's just broken furniture." He comments.

"Well a school of magical children are going to break a few things." I explain. "There are books and stuff in here. This one looks like a journal." I say absently as I leaf through it.

"Merlin's beard." Sirius exclaims as he pulls a cloth from a cabinet. "I've only ever seen one of these, and they're no good without the other."

The vanishing cabinet. "What is it?"

"A vanishing cabinet." He tells me. "Walk in one and close the door, walk out the other instantly." I summon a fluxline up and hold it near the cabinet.

"Merlin's beard is correct." I say as I scan the cabinet. "It's broken." I tell Padfoot. "Seems like a student killed a cat about ten years ago trying to use it." I could fix it, but I imagine the other one is still in Borgin and Burkes. "It works for in-animate things, but it currently would kill anything alive, possibly strip enchantments and charms too."

"We could send something through with a tracking charm?" He suggests.

"I've got no idea how they work, but you're welcome to try. I just need to adjust some things, it's been knocked out of sync to the other over the years."

He busied himself looking for something to send through whilst I worked.

It's a fairly simple structure of enchantments. It doesn't act like a portkey or apparation, which actually moves the subject, this just switches the internal space with the other cabinet. However, this one must have been damaged by whoever moved it in here, possibly due to shrinking it, as this wasn't designed to withstand being shrank. The enchantment markers are still floating about, so I can easily repair it's link to the target.

"There we go." Sirius says as he hands me a bra. I look at him. "What?"

"Out of everything you could have picked, you went and found a bra?" I try and keep the smile off my face. Badly. "At least it wasn't used underwear or something." I shake my head whilst knitting some of the enchant back together. "I've no idea what I'm doing, but I think I've finished."

"What do you mean you don't know what you're doing? I thought you said you were fixing it."

"Well that was the idea." I shrug. "I've only been here for a week. I could have just made this a portal to the underworld for all we know." I open the cabinet. "See you in hell 34C!"

I throw the brassiere into the cabinet as Sirius cheers me on. I tap the handle with my wand and a dim flash of light emits for the cabinet. Nothing happens for a few seconds.

"Did it work?" Sirius asks me.

"What? I thought you put a tracking charm on it."

"Oh. I think I got distracted."

I put my hand on my face. As we laugh.

"Alright, If it come back burnt then we need to change the destination." I tap my wand again and pull open the door.

"Welcome back subject 34C, good to see you in one piece." I pick it up and hand it to Sirius. "Tracking charm this time, We'll see where it is." He runs his wand over it and throws it back in through the door. "Thanks Padfoot, You made me waste the 'See you in hell' line." I grumble as I tap the handle again.

"Uh." He says. "Ah! Seems to be south!" He says excitedly.

"Padfoot. We currently in the most northern building in Scotland. There isn't a lot that _isn't_ south of us." I tell him patiently. I bring the bra back and pull out a fluxline.

"Right, tracking charm is intact, nice work on that one." I twist a few twines. "This should give us a clearer idea of where it is now." Really all I've done is anchor the tracking charm more firmly. I already know where the other cabinet is. "Once more unto the breach, 34C." I say as I activate the cabinet again. I glance down at the fluxline and poke randomly.

"Diagon Alley apparently." I announce. "Looks like it's off of the main street though."

"How can you possibly know that?" He says, looking down at the coloured lattice. "This doesn't make any sense."

"I'm The Doctor." I smirk at him.

"Doctor who?" He asks with a puzzled expression.

"Precisely." I say, grinning wider.

He shakes his head. "I'm glad Lily showed me some muggle television during the summers, or I would be hopelessly confused." He runs his fingers through his hair. "There are only a few places in Diagon Alley that would have the other cabinet. I can think of a few in Knockturn too."

"Knockturn?" I ask him.

"Oh right, muggleborn. It's an alley that branches off of Diagon and is known for selling … less legal wares." He explains to me.

"Why don't the Aurors shut em down?"

"They've never had enough evidence. They don't sell to Aurors." He scratches his beard.

"But you are the ex-convict and Lord Black. Surely you could swing them with a few galleons?"

"I suppose I could." He brightens. "What do we need the other cabinet for?"

"I suppose You could have it on your home and Harry could pass through this one whenever he wanted." I suggest. "Or you could come through fast than the floo to watch the Quidditch games." I shrug.

"We should probably tell Albus about it." He suggests. "Potential security threat and all that."

"Only fair I suppose. It'll need some work to let life pass through, I suppose old Dumbles has a few tricks up his sleeve with all those things in his office." I muse aloud whilst scanning the cabinet.

"Harry?" I say.

"What?" Sirius asks, whirling around.

"He seems to be in this room. His magic usually floods the areas, hard guy to miss." I explain. "This way." I walk off toward the epicentre.

"How would he know about this room?"

"He's right there." I say, pointing off into a pile of chairs.

The diadem.

"Fuck me." I climb the stack, the fluxline floating in front of me. "You cannot be serious."

"I am and I'm down here." He calls up.

I scan the box with the diadem in it. It's not Harry's magic, It's Tom Riddle's.

"Sirius. We need to get this to Albus." I say as I scramble down the stairs. "Right now." I pull on my scales and bulk up and break out into a sprint. Sirius turns into Padfoot to catch up.

"No running in the halls!" I hear Filch screech as we dart past him.

"Bloody castle is too big." I mutter as we burst past some students.

"Was that a dragon and a grim?" I hear someone say.

"Ah, Mr. Jackson." Dumbledore says as we catch him near the gargoyle to his office. "_Lord _Black." He says with a smile.

"Office." Sirius says as he changes back. "Now, Albus." He seems to have caught on that this is serious.

"Professor Snape and Flitwick should probably be present for this." I tell the Headmaster, who opens his floo up.

Flitwick comes through looking worried and Snape follows looking as calm as ever.

"Now." Dumbledore starts. "Perhaps you could explain why you have called us here?" He asks seriously.

"Earlier this evening, I was scanning Harry Potter with my flux spell. You all know roughly what it does, yes?" They nod. "After scanning Harry I saw that he has an enormous amount of magic. His presence flooded the room we were in at the time. The reading showed that he could rival the headmaster in raw power." This got their attention. "I'd like to point out that he is malnourished and had several improperly healed bones."

Sirius look at Dumbledore, who motioned for me to continue.

"So, Mr. Black and I went for a little walk around the castle and … happened across a hidden room." Dumbledore seems to understand which one I mean. "Inside we found a vanishing cabinet, the twin of which is near Diagon Alley?" I look a Sirius.

"The tracking charms said Knockturn." He supplied.

"Anyway, that's a story for another time." I put the box on the desk. "This." I open it. "Is Ravenclaw's lost diadem." Flitwick's eyes widened. "However, It is Harry."

"Excuse me?" Flitwick asks me.

"That is to say that it floods out Harry's magic. Or at least I thought it did until I scanned it closer. The reason it confused me so much is because it is actually someone else's magic that is tied to Harry. Both parselmouths too, which is what made it so well disguised."

"Who's magic?" Sirius asks.

"Tom Riddle's"

There was a collective gasp as everyone stared at me.

"Now, Could I ask you all something? Well, two things." I get a nod from Dumbledore.

"Why has Harry got this guys soul attached to him as well as the diadem?" I ask patiently. "and Who is Tom Riddle?"

Snape spoke up this time. "Tom Riddle once attended Hogwarts. He later took on the pseudonym of 'Lord Voldemort'."

"Oh shit." I said loudly. None of them seemed to want to berate me on my language.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Harry is still pretty strong, but Tom's magic was making the scan go funny. The soul fragment is so entwined with Harry's soul that it didn't come up on the fluxline scan. The spell needs some work. Enjoy!**


	18. Chapter 18: Life and Death

Chapter 18: Life and Death

Fifteen minutes later I find myself greeting Ted Tonks as I enter the Ministry. Dumbledore had taken the adults and the diadem to the Ministry in a hurry, Ted had come and collected me a few minutes later from the Headmaster's office.

"Good evening Mr. Tonks." I say holding my hand out after we exited the floo.

"No time for pleasantries I'm afraid." He looked rather stressed. "Whatever bought Dumbledore in here has caused a big stir." He runs his fingers through his blonde hair. "They entered a meeting room with some Unspeakables and other Ministry high-ups including the Minister himself." He explains as we head through the crowds. "Then Sirius sticks his head out the door and tells Baker and I to collect You and Harry Potter from Hogwarts. He's already in there. I have no idea what's happening." He looks at me pleadingly.

"If they haven't told you then I probably shouldn't." I feel bad for the man. "Sorry."

"Here we are." He says as we arrive at a large door with Aurors guarding it. "Er, Zack." He says as he is about to open the door. "It's not my place to say, but try and be polite to these people."

"Don't worry, Ted." I offer him a big grin. "Best behaviour. I promise."

He groans. "Nym has given me that smile a hundred times." He mutters to an Auror as I walk into the chamber.

There are a ton of important looking people in here. Fancy dress robes, Unspeakables around the place, a few healers that seem to be poking Harry and then there is the 'Hogwarts entourage'. I head over to them.

"Alright, Harry?" I say nonchalantly.

He looked at me oddly before smiling. "They" He points at the healers and Unspeakables. "Have just told me I have part of someone's soul stuck to my head. You?"

"Can't complain." I tell him. "Padfoot and I were throwing about women's underwear before this happened." I shrug. Harry blushes at this.

I turn to Dumbledore, who just finished talking to a red-faced Fudge. "What's going on then?"

"It would appear that Voldemort has taken measures to keep him alive upon his death." He explained. "One body dies and he can use his shattered soul to be reborn."

"and the diadem had part in? And so does Harry?" He nods, a lot of people are now listening. "Can't you just pull them out and kill them?" I ask. "Surely it's unanimously agreed that this guy shouldn't be allowed to live, right?"

"Of course not!" Someone shouts. "but if he has these two … horcruxes. Then what's to say he hasn't got more?"

"A valid point." Dumbledore says to the man.

"So say he's got, I don't know. Five." I say. "Can't you guys just go and find them and destroy them?"

"It would destroy the diadem, a small price to pay I say." A man in red robes says.

"What of the boy? Is it possible to get it out of him?" Another man asks the healers.

"We have only just discovered that it is anchored onto his soul very heavily." One of them explains. "It appears the soul fragment has entwined itself onto Mr. Potter soul since the night You-know-who fell." She spoke to the crowd.

"Why is this … boy here?" An old man sneered at me.

"Mr. Jackson is here as my guest." Dumbledore speaks softly, placing a hand on my shoulder.

Ignoring the exchange I pull up the fluxline and hold it near Harry's head. "It looks like the … horcrux?" I get a nod. "is attached to his skull. There is actually a lightning bolt cut in his skull, that's pretty cool." I murmur, Harry stifles his chuckle. "Can you just cut his skull and, don't know, put a metal plate there?"

This causes an uproar about my upbringing and the limits of magical surgery.

"Well then, thank you all for insulting me." I say loudly, turning back to Harry. "You could just tear it from his soul. It appears to be constricting his magic." I hear a healer scoff.

"Who is this boy?" He asks. I realise that I'm currently in disguise. Nobody here besides those from Hogwarts know it's me. Maybe an Unspeakable because of the fluxline.

"Call me The Doctor." I tell him with a grin, starting to twirl parts of the fluxline. "It looks like Mr. Riddle wanted his soul fragment to stay here alright." I tear a part of the lattice away and throw it to Sirius. "Hang onto that for me." He catches the black twines.

At this point everyone is staring. I stop as I grab a fistful of threads.

"Hypothetically, let's say that I was about to lose what little control I have over this wraith, would this room hold it?" I ask the crowd, I'm sweating from the exertion of holding the soul fragment.

People back away as they realise that this isn't hypothetical.

"This room is only warded for privacy." One of the Aurors says.

"Jesus." I mutter. "Mr. Black. Please hand that thread to the Chief Warlock." I instruct. "Now, could you tie that around my wrist?" Dumbledore looks unsure, but does so anyway.

"Best case scenario, only my hand gets possessed." I say as I tear the black threads away from Harry.

My fingers bend backwards and snap audibly. I suck a breath between my teeth whilst pulling the nerves out of the black hand.

"Mr. Potter no longer has the soul fragment inside his head." I explain. "Does anybody carry a goblin made sword?" I ask the crowd. Lucius Malfoy steps forward.

"Lucius Malfoy." He extends a hand towards my good hand.

"A pleasure, Lord Malfoy." I say politely. "Now, If you would be so kind as to cut my hand off, just behind the black twine." I ask whilst pulling the veins and nerves back up my arm.

He looks at the writhing hand, which is now broken all the bones, then pulls out the sword and cuts my hand off. Just like that.

"There we go." I say, growing my hand back. "Voldemort's soul in the diadem and now that hand." People flinch at his name.

I morph back into what I usually look like. "Zack Jackson." I say to Lucius. "Now, we are don't have to worry about Harry."

Everybody looks at me like I'm mad. Dumbledore levitates the hand.

"Is this stable?" He asks me.

"Erm, I wouldn't undo the twine unless you want to release the very angry wraith." I chuckle, no one appreciates the joke

"Chop chop." Fudge says, waving the Unspeakables over. "I want those destroyed."

"That is the Diadem of Ravenclaw!" A fat women shouted, the chamber erupted with shouting again. A fist brawl broke out between to old men.

"More fights here than in Hogwarts." I mumble to Harry, we share a laugh at the expense of the adults.

"Might I suggest we throw them through whatever that arch is inside the Department of Mysteries?" I tell them once they settle down. "Do you guys know it's there? It's the foulest thing I've ever witnessed. A perversion of magic, and I've seen two horcruxes."

People looked at the Unspeakables.

"We call it the Veil." He explained. "We don't know much about it, but anything that goes through doesn't come back." He hesitates. "Voldemort would not be using those items to come back if they went through." He says with certainty.

"Can I have a little poke around it whilst you do it?" I ask.

"No." He says.

"But-"

"No."

"Don't you want to know where it leads?" I ask him.

"Uh."

"Let's go." Fudge says, eager to get rid of the objects. "Order of Merlin, First class restriction and level 5 Unspeakable restriction." I think that only covers the highest level.

Dumbledore levitates the diadem and says. "The holders of the Order of Merlin medals are allowed to permit on more person. I will chose Lord Black as my second."

"Madam Bones." Fudge says.

"Nobody." I say.

We leave the chamber after placing the horcruxes into a warded box. We are escorted by at least 14 Aurors, including Mad-Eye and Ted Tonks.

"Anyone without clearance will have to stay outside." The Minister says as we enter the Veil's room.

It's about 15 feet high and 5 wide, a sort of thick mist hangs in the arch.

"Merlin." Sirius mutters. I hold the fluxline up.

"It's death." I say quietly.

Everyone looks at me.

"I thought it would be a hole in spacetime or something." I mutter. "But this. This is wrong. Have you tried to destroy it?"I ask the Head Unspeakable.

"Merlin's Beard, No!" He exclaims.

"You guys don't know what you have here." I tell them. This archway is not right. I walk to the side of it.

"Be careful!" They call out to me. "No one has crossed that line before." I hear them say. Evidently it's their threshold. I place the fluxline against the stone.

"This is older than the Ministry." I say. "The whole place was built around this gate. This is a portal to the underworld. Hell itself. The River Styx. The great beyond." I smirk. "The next great adventure." I turn to them. "You are right though. Nothing that you throw through will come back." I turn back to the fluxline. Delivering parts of Voldemort's soul to the underworld. Not bad.

"Let's get on with it then." Fudge says impatiently.

Nobody moved.

"I'll do it then." I say, picking the box up from Dumbledore's feet. "Adios, Ravenclaw." I say as I throw is diadem through. I hold up my old hand, now blackened and broken. "If I put a tracking charm on it like people do for splinching accidents..." I trail of whilst waving my wand over it. Should be easy to track my own hand. "Goodbye hand, You served me well." It put it's middle finger up as I threw it into the veil. "Creepy."

"Two down." Dumbledore says. "Who know how many more to go?" I asked rhetorically.

"I can scan and find out if more of his soul is lurking about now." I say whilst dusting my hands off. "Now, we had best be getting back to Hogwarts. Sirius, you have some furniture to buy."

We meet with Harry before Dumbledore apparates us to his office. After Harry leaves for bed, Dumbledore and I are alone in his office.

"I want to thank you for taking that foul magic out from Harry." He says to me.

"Well I couldn't leave it in there really." I tell him. He smiles at this.

"Could you tell me more of the veil?" He asks after being silent for a short time.

"It's wrong. To magic it is death. To me it is a portal, leading to death." I pull up a fluxline, making it go red. "This red represents magic." I change the side of one half to black. "The black trim indicates death, the Veil." I change the other side's trim to white. "The white represents life." I make the example hover beside me whilst I pull up a map of Hogwarts. "I trust you are familiar with this series of rooms?" I smirk whilst showing the protections for the philosophers stone.

He chuckles out a "Yes."

"Notice this white orb in the last room?" I point, zooming in to the chamber. "This is life." I tell him. "I'd like to know why Hogwarts is currently home to the physical embodiment of life."

"Sadly," Dumbledore says. "The only person who can really explain that won't be available until the summer." His eyes twinkle. "Nicolas Flamel."

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><p><strong>AN: A bit of a shorter chapter here. Time will start to pass faster next chapter i think. This one is a bit boring as it's just some grandiose horcrux disposal. Enjoy!**


	19. Chapter 19: Fiendfyre

Chapter 19: Fiendfyre

Friday's edition of the Daily Prophet was full of speculation. They had photographed Ministry officials darting around the Ministry, Including pictures of myself. We were all sworn to secrecy.

I find myself sitting between Tonks and Chloe, acting like a buffer from the pestering of the students. I'm toying with my fluxline currently. It's just a framework, literally a frame sometimes too. I try to tell people it can do more than it really can. I could only locate the Chamber of Secrets and the Philosophers stone in Hogwarts because I knew where they were. I knew what to look for. Same with the Veil in the Ministry, I knew that it was down there, so I just had to look for it. Unfortunately, the fluxline isn't some all powerful mapping and scanning tool. It reacts to my will and give me information.

"What are you doing to it?" Chloe asks me, watching my fingers dance around the lattice.

"Adapting it so it's modular." I explain. "The idea is to use parts of the framework as enchantments. So say you have a meeting of werewolves for example, You obviously don't want any silver near it. So, I come along and weave the scanning part of the spell to a doorframe and link the output to a rune so that when silver passes through it can activate that rune, which in turn will fire up any wards the place has to throw the silver out."

"How do you know so much about wards?" She asks me. A good question.

"I don't." I say with a smirk. "I just know how my own spell works, well most of it anyway. I think I can make parts of it solid, so it could actually interact with things, like removing the silver or whatever. Sort out potion ingredients. Oh, that might be a good one to start with." I begin knotting random bits together, hopefully this should allow for solid parts.

"Maybe I could get it to hold my fork for me." I muse. "Damn it." It doesn't hold the fork. "I might need to have external parts that connect to the framework, like an extension."

"Speaking of potion ingredients." Tonks says next to me. "We should probably go to Herbology now."

"_Tempus_." Chloe whispers. "Looks like you should get going. Shoo!"

"Good Morning Class." Sprout says as we arrive, just in time. "Today we will be preparing nettles. Simply cut them off near the base of the plant, Like so." She cut a few leaves. "Nothing to it." She smiles. "On you go."

I idly chatted to Tonks whilst using my claws to cut the nettles. I told her about the oath so I I couldn't tell her what happened. It was a nice relaxing lesson, no stopping convicts or horcruxes.

After leaving Professor Sprout a nice pile of nettles, the class left for lunch. I continued to fiddle with modularising fluxline all the way to DADA, When a line started to go black. Of course, Quirrell's stupid turban. I change the fluxline into a crab and send it off the find Albus.

"G-g-Goodm-m-morning C-class" He stumbled out.

A few minutes later Dumbledore entered the room.

"Good Afternoon, Professor Quirrel." He greeted. "I appear to have found myself in possession of a small magical spider." He pulled the fluxline crab out of his pocket.

"It was supposed to be a crab." I told him.

"Truly?" He peered closer at it. "Ah yes." He handed it back to me, whilst his ear was close to me I whispered;

"Horcrux, Quirrel's head."

He straightened up before a red light fired from his wand and hit Quirrel in the chest. I didn't even see his wand move or any part of him for that matter.

There was a horrible screech as Tom Riddle's wraith flew out of Quirrels body as is exploded into dust.

"One lesson." I say loudly. "I get one lesson of peace." I grumble out.

"Class dismissed." Dumbledore says. "If you could come with me, Zack." With a grave expression.

It's amazing how quickly Dumbledore can call together a meeting in his office. The Minister, Madam Bones, The Unspeakable, Lucius Malfoy and surprisingly, Frank Longbottom.

"Thank You all for coming." He said once we were all seated. "Only a few minutes ago, I was sitting here in my office when a small crab crawled under my door." I show them. "Now, I know of only one wizard who can produce a glowing crab that is not a patronus, so I went to Mr. Jackson in his Defence Against the Dark Arts class." He explained. "When I entered the room, Mr. Jackson spoke three words into my ear. 'Horcrux. Quirrell's head'." The room gasps. "Sadly when I stunned our poor Professor, The horcrux escaped his body in the form of a wraith. This sadly cost Quirinus his life due to the possession." He let this sink in.

"What happened to this wraith?" Frank asked.

"It escaped." Dumbledore said simply. "I could not have known it would flee in such a manner, and young Mr. Jackson, despite being able to capture it, could not manoeuvre to the front of class in the time given. Even if he could, without Lord Malfoy's sword, he would likely have been possessed himself."

There was a pause as everyone digested the new information.

"So there was another horcrux within Quirrel?" Lucius asks Me.

"Uh, yes. Although I've been told that a horcrux is a more dormant thing. This was a wraith possessing Professor Quirrell." I pull up a fluxline. "The wraith was definitely Tom Riddle though." I twirl some of the lattice. "This doesn't make any sense." I look at Lucius. "Unless you are about to explain, I suggest everyone else fears for their lives."

He chuckles at this.

"Fear not, child." He says. "As you all know, I was marked by the Dark Lord in my youth." He rolls up his sleeve. "Is this what you were referring to?" He looks at me expectantly.

I glance at the lattice before me. "No, but I suspect you already know what you have in your pocket, don't you?"

"I wasn't sure, but it made my arm tingle as I walked past it in Knockturn alley." He withdrew a small black book from his pocket and placed it on Dumbledore's desk.

"What do we have here?" Dumbledore reaches out for it.

"Don't!" I say quickly. His hand freezes millimetres away. "Lord Malfoy appears to have been able to hold it due to his … unique connection to Tom Riddle." I quickly explain as Dumbledore pulls his hand back. "Lucius has found another horcrux. This one is huge. About 25 times the size of the one inside Harry. Wait, that means that, assuming the horcrux ritual splits the soul in half. We can determine how many Voldemort has made? Right?" I glance around at the stunned faces.

"Barzúl." I curse.

"First one, unknown. Makes 50% of his soul into a horcrux. Second one. This book. 25% of a soul. Third. Ravenclaw's Diadem. 12.5%." I swallow loudly. "Fourth. 6.25%. Fifth. 3.125%."

They start to pale by this point.

"Sixth. 1.5625. Seventh. 0.78125. This was the size Harry had in him. This means that Voldemort created seven horcruxes and the part of his soul that remained his was inside Professor Quirrel." I let this sink in. "The good new is that with Harry's part destroyed and the diadem, that means we have killed 13.28125% of Voldemort. And once we get rid of this book it will bump up to 38.28125%" I finish with a smile.

"How can you even calculate those numbers?" Frank Longbottom asks me in awe.

"I have the sizes of what I've seen the rest is just simple math. Any ideas how we kill this book?"

"Burn it?" Fudge suggested weakly. "_Incendio!_" He incants. The flames lick the book and do nothing. I hide my grin whilst stroking Freya's feathers.

"A good idea, Minister. Perhaps something a bit stronger?" Lucius suggests.

"My desk will sadly not live through _that _particular form of fire. Shall we head to the Great Hall?" Dumbledore suggests. Our gang of important people venture through the castle. Lucius holds the book as it's safest for him to do so.

"Look on the bright side." I say. "The piece of his soul that escaped was less than one percent."

"That means nothing sadly." Dumbledore explains. "He can still draw on all his power, but his mind will be incredibly unstable. Perhaps that is what drove him to such things."

We enter the Great Hall and Dumbledore seals the doors.

"We shall not be disrupted in here." He says. "Lucius, If you will." He gestures to the middle of the room.

"Do I have permission from the DMLE to use 'Fiendfyre' to destroy part of the Dark Lord Voldemort's soul?" He asks.

"Yes." Madam Bones says after a minute. "Are you certain you can contain it?"

I pull up a fluxline to watch the event unfold. "Ah, Might I suggest trying your rather spectacular sword first?" He stares at the book before poking it with the tip of his sword.

"It won't even dig in." He says. "_Fienfyre!" _He hissed.

A sickly black and red fire erupts from his wand, heating up the whole room. He holds it over the book as the book begins to scream. He grips his wand with both hands, dropping his sword. The flames start to kick up as Dumbledore steps in brandishing his wand. They work together to try and quell the flames, neither side seem to be gaining any ground. I hear Freya begin to screech due to the building heat.

I look at my fluxline, It's truly incredible. Lucius is only holding his own against it due to it being his fire and Dumbledore is fighting it with raw power but is now on his knees. Fawkes appears and begins to push magic into Dumbledore, He stays on his knees, but uses the extra power well. I hear flapping next to me as Freya flies into the corner.

Shit's getting real.

Frank and Madam Bones try and help as much as they can, but they barely hold a candle to Dumbledore's power. The flames appear to be feeding from the diary. The diary. That's the source.

"Fuck me." I say as I see Fudge cowering beside me. My skin wouldn't hold a moment against those flame. I try shooting a banishing spell at the book, but it gets burnt by the Fiendfyre. That's some fire. Dragons are said to breath something akin to Fiendfyre, but their massive magical strength is said to control it like breathing. Surely their own scales would be able to withstand it. Right?

I alter my skin to scales. As thick as I can, pushing as much magic into it as I can.

Impenetrable.

The key attribute I have to get here. Truly unburnable. I make a strong film over my eyes, if I close them when I get close I should be OK, right?

"Wish me luck, Minister." Better me than the whole school I suppose. "Allonsy!" I start running towards the Fiendfyre. Freya flies beside me, I can feel her determination. Perhaps she is coming because I know I will die.

"Zack!" Dumbledore cries out as I pass him. "Don't!" I yells.

I really feel the heat now. The Fiendfyre is taking up most of the hall so I've got a few more metres until I'm at the book. Freya is perched weakly on my shoulder, despite being deep in the pyre now. I reach the book and kick it away from the centre.

The heat gets me, even with no nerves under my skin I feel it burning me. I hear Fawkes cry and the last call of '_Zack' _in a feminine voice before I collapse in the dying inferno.

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><p><strong>AN: Fixed a couple of spelling mistakes sorry about missing them on my proof read. I really appreciate the positive responses I'm getting. Enjoy!**


	20. Chapter 20: The Boy Who Played With Fire

Chapter 20: The Boy Who Played With Fire

I feel my conciseness slide into place. The first thing I notice is that I currently don't have any eyes. I remember walking through Fiendfyre? Don't know what thought process led me to doing that. I grow a pair of eyes after making suitable eye holes.

I appear to be in the hospital wing although these eyes don't see colour yet. I think I tripped a ward by waking up as there are people around me. I don't recognize anybody. I push some ears out.

" …. He's woken up finally. I'm not sure how he's even alive!" Ah, the sweet Madam Pomfrey.

"He is a remarkable young man." I here Dumbledore's voice. "I hope he didn't dent your potion stock too much." He tries to lighten the mood with a joke.

The Matron scoffs. "Dent?" She laughs again. "He doesn't have a mouth to drink it and I couldn't penetrate his skin to put it into his blood!" If I had a face I would smirk. Impenetrable.

"How did you heal him?" I hear a strained voice wheeze out.

"No, Sit back down Mr. Malfoy. You are in no shape to move." She instructed him.

I begin growing my throat back and opening a small slit for a mouth. My larynx comes next.

"I couldn't cast a single spell on him." She said with a huff. "It's like trying to cast against a bloody basilisk!" She snorts again. "I couldn't even scan him. We've just had him laying there. I couldn't hear a heart beat or any breathing." She sounds worried.

"Without his sacrifice, all in the hall would have perished." I hear Fudge speak, with a short wheeze at the end.

"Don't say that." Tonks barked at him. "He didn't sacrifice anything." I strain my one eye down, she is holding what was once my arm. It seems to be the only appendage I have left.

"Can I get a glass of water?" I wheeze out. "I'm a bit dehydrated." I begin to reform my arm.

"Zack!" Tonks shouts and hugs my body, I use my arm to hug back as best as I can.

I push my arms and legs out of my body. Impenetrable? Close enough.

"Who died?" I wheeze again after having a short drink.

No one answered.

"Who died?" I ask again.

"Just you." I see Madam Bones walk over with Frank Longbottom. "and Freya." She says softly.

I change my body back to skin. The scales are no longer needed.

"However." Dumbledore said. "It appears that Your bird is just as hard to take down as you are." His eyes sparkle as he picks something up form my bedside table.

It's a small pile of grey feathers. Unmistakeably a baby phoenix.

"If I had any tear ducts I would cry." I say quietly as I take Freya into my hands.

"38.28125% ?" I ask Dumbledore.

"Yes. The diary was destroyed after you kicked it. Looking back it appears that it was fuelling the fire after it was destroyed.

I jump out of bed, much to everyone's surprise.

"I think I'll take losing a hand next time." I fall on the floor due to the lack of muscles in my legs. I regrow them and walk to Lucius' bed. Narcissa and Draco are sitting at one side. Lucius has his entire left arm covered and the left side of his face. "Sorry about the arm. I had to prepare my body to run through Fiendfyre."

Narcissa runs over to hug me. "Thank you." She says breathlessly.

Lucius chuckles. "It turns out that a healthy dose of Fiendfyre cleanses the soul, so to speak." He says whilst looking down at his bandaged arm.

"The mark? It's gone?"

"Indeed it is. A second less fire and it would be intact and a second more and I would have died instantly." He explains.

I snort. "I suppose I got a bit more than a healthy dose." I spin to Dumbledore. "Are you unharmed Albus?" I ask, glancing over him, He had been standing slightly ahead of Lucius in the Great Hall.

"Thank you for your concern." He smiles. "Fawkes has made be a bit more resilient to heat over the years, but another second and I too would have perished." He holds up his burnt hand. "Whatever we can walk away from though." He chuckles.

"How long was I out for?" I ask after downing another glass of water.

"We just came back from lunch, It's Saturday." Fudge tells me.

"Ah, Tonks." I turn to her. "I think I missed our date." She laughs.

"I think you have a good excuse, they filled me in about the Voldemort stuff." She waved her hand to Dumbledore.

"Good. It would have been a pain trying to explain otherwise." We laugh at this.

I stroke Freya's small feathered head. She is already larger than when I woke up.

'_Zack_' I hear a small voice.

"What the shit." I say ducking down, spinning around trying to see my assailant.

The voice laughs at me, then Dumbledore joins in.

"I reacted in a similar fashion when Fawkes first spoke with me." He chuckled. "But with less, ah, colourful language."

I look at Freya, who has begun to take on a blueish tinge.

"_I thought I would make you fall over"_ She looked like she was pouting. Can Phoenixes pout?

"_Probably not_" She says. "_but I can make you feel like I'm pouting._" She said with a … grin?

"Great." I say out loud. "Now my phoenix is harassing me." She began to glow at this.

"Ah, my favourite part." Dumbledore says. Then takes a step back.

Freya explodes on my shoulder, I should be burnt but after Fiendfyre I guess I'm ok.

She is now what I assume to be her full size, Slightly smaller than Fawkes, but I suppose that depends on the phoenix.

"_Oh, I've been waiting for this part since you woke up._" She chirps into my brain.

She flutters down from my shoulder and lands on the ground of the infirmary. Then starts to grow. And grow some more, until her head easily surpasses Hagrid's height. She lets out a trill. She shrinks again and flies back onto my shoulder and cycled through several colours.

"A changing phoenix. Neat." I say. "Any idea what the other horcruxes are?"

"He seems to have targeted items that mean something to him." Dumbledore explained. "The diadem, said to have been lost to time. The book was his diary, I remember him writing in it when he was in Hogwarts. You say it had a quarter of his soul contained within, this means it wasn't his first."

"No luck in locating the wraith?" I ask.

"It's only been a few hours, but nothing has come up." He sighs.

"Maybe ask at the bank?" I suggest. "That's where people keep things."

"That's actually not a bad idea." Dumbledore chuckles.

"Wizards." I mutter, Tonks stifles her giggles.

"The Gringotts goblins are not the most co-operative of people. Especially not with wizards." Lucius calls out from his bed.

"Maybe if you tell them what you are dealing with." I say. "I don't know much about goblins, but I don't think they would like an immortal dark lord out there. It's bad for the economy." I laugh at my own joke. "They seemed to respect Professor Flitwick."

"I shall discuss the matter with Filius." Dumbledore seems to relax at the idea of leaving the goblins to someone else. "He will know the best path to take."

I feel my knees weaken. "I think I'm going to rest in bed until dinner. I've been through hell, almost literally."

I figure I could ask Padfoot to visit Harry during the winter break. Slytherin's locket should be there still. The adults can deal with getting the cup. It's delicate politics when it come to dealing with goblins.

"_You could just go to Little Hangleton and get the resurrection stone from the ring._" Freya's voice echoes through my head.

"_You know about that?_" I ask her.

"_I rooted through your memories whilst you were asleep. Gripping stuff. I figure that you could transfer the biggest soul shard, the 50%, from that ring into a fake one and have the real stone for yourself._" She tells me.

What?

"_Freya, You're a genius!_" I say. It's a great idea. Saves Dumbledore from cursing his hand by trying to put the ring on without clearing the wards.

"_Well, really you are the genius. I just take from your mind._" She sings to me.

"_Ah! Collective geniuses! Fantastic._" I smile at our plan. I don't know how I could get Albus' wand, Harry would lend me the cloak. I'm not sure what being the so called master of death would entail, but if I had one of the items to scan I could find out if they really are special. I only had a quick once over on the wand.

"_How will we find Nagini? The size of the piece from Harry's head indicated that Nagini is already a horcrux._" She says.

"_Nagini is probably the sixth one." _I muse across the mind link. "_So that's about 1.5%. If he can regain that or the ring we'll be in trouble. Could you go and fetch the ring?_" She disappears in a ball of fire and returns with the ring.

"_Get rid of the flesh-eating curse before you touch it though. Snape will have to kill you in your sixth book otherwise._" She laughs at me. I pull up a fluxline and start picking the curses off the ring.

"_There we are. 50% of his soul._" I transfigure a spoon from my bedside table into a replica of the ring. Perfect detail. "_It should be easier to transfer from inanimate to inanimate." _I 'scoop' the horcrux out of the original ring and attach it to the other, before replacing the curses on the new ring.

"_Can't have it looking unprotected. Could you put it black please? I'll get you some grapes at dinner._" I ask her. She returns the ring to the Riddle Manor.

"_Right._" I say across the link. "_Let's see what makes this thing tick._" I summon a fluxline.

Simple steel ring. Discard. Now, the legendary resurrection stone. It looks like it can pull a soul back from hell. If Voldemort got his hands back on the original he could have brought back his soul fragments from hell _and _got the 50% chunk back. It is almost as bad as the veil. Death oozes from it. It's a key. It allows the master to open the gate. The veil represents the door, currently closed, this is the key for the door. Judging by the magic on this thing compared to the elder wand, it means that this is for interfacing with the gate, where as the wand is for ordering 'death' to do things. This alone will give you control, but the wand is like the conductor stick for your own butler.

The cloak? I've no idea. Maybe I can try and get a scan of it before Harry gets it for Christmas, although I can wait until then. I'm sure he would let me check it.

I'll have to suggest to Albus to go and check the Riddle family house, that way he can find that chunk of the soul by himself. Finding Nagini is going to be hard. One snake in however many billions there are on Earth. She might be sleeping in the Riddle manor or perhaps staying in Albania.

I admire the ring on my finger. I don't intend to use it to pull back half-souls from hell. It would be cruel to torture them like that. I drag the ring under my skins and hide it around the bone in my right arm.

"_What do you think, Freya?_" I ask whilst holding my arm up. "_Safe?_"

She looks at my arm.

"_Safe until you walk into Fiendfyre again._" She says before going to sleep on my headboard.

I lay my head down and briefly wonder if I should explain where I'm from to Albus. He would know what to do.

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><p><strong>AN: Next one will be up sometime over the weekend. Enjoy!**


	21. Chapter 21: Round 2 Fight!

**A/N: Sorry about this chapter, I didn't like how the story was going as i used up a load of my plot points over the first week, so it was either stop writing or do something crazy.**

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><p>Chapter 21: Round 2. Fight!<p>

I'm looking to link the resurrection ring into fluxline is some way. If I can get a good look at the veil again, then I could attempt to make a way of viewing the reaped souls. Bringing one back is said to wreak untold agony onto the soul, I would literally be dragging the soul up stream from the River Styx and then holding them before me. I don't really want to test it, putting a soul in pain doesn't really appeal to me. If I were to create an effect similar to the veil, then I could open a portal, or something more like a window. Commune with the dead that are swimming away in the stream of souls.

"Mr. Jackson. Dinner will be served soon." Madam Pomfrey informs me. "Since I can't do anything else, you can leave now."

"I'm sure I'll be back before too long." I shoot her a smile as she sighs.

When wizards and witches die their magic dissipates and their soul is sent to the underworld. It's not Satan, fire and brimstone kind of underworld though, it's more just a lake of souls. If I pull them back from anywhere besides the veil, it will hurt them. A lot. The veil acts like a door, if I can view it again I can copy it's properties and make a window to talk to the souls. In theory anyway. I could talk to Merlin, LeFaye, The Founders and probably Tom Riddle's fragments. I wish I had figured out a record function when I was at the veil.

I arrive at the closed doors of the Great Hall. Time to make an entrance, but who to be?

I load up the door with a sonorous charm. Might as well be Sirius. I launch a wall of force at the doors, making them slam open.

"I've always wanted to do that." I mimic Sirius' words.

Sirius claps from beside Harry at the Gryffindor table, I do a huge bow before morphing back as I walk to them.

"I think I would have spooked people if I came through as Voldemort." I say as I take my seat.

"You'd probably get a standing ovation from certain tables." Tonks says whilst nodding towards the Slytherin table.

"Not all Slytherins are bad." I say. "It's just a majority are." I added when I got funny looks. "How much longer are you going to be hanging around here for Padfoot?"

"Pomfrey is keeping an eye on me." He explains. "I also got that nice new cabinet. Look like it could do with some polishing." He says, giving me a wink.

"I'll go have a look at the one here." I tell him. "See if I can't get it up to … sales standard." I smirk at the lost expressions of those around us."

I set off through the castle, heading for the seventh floor, I'm sure the cabinet can't be too hard to fix. 'I need a place to hide something' seems to be the pass-thought for opening the items room.

The room must have been made by Ravenclaw herself, it's a work of art really. Although I'm not sure _how _it reads peoples intents, but it's still pretty cool. I find it hard to believe that all of this junk in the room was put here by students. Perhaps the house elves dump all the misplaced items here. Although quite how somebody misplaced this vanishing cabinet, I don't know.

"Right then, let's see if I can't fix you before curfew." I mutter to the cabinet.

The seal of the door is faulty, so it exchanges the air badly and it kills things. A quick magical 'WD-40' charm later and the hinges allow the door to close correctly. Now for a live test.

"Hogwarts house elf?" I call out tentatively.

A soft pop indicates the arrival of an elf. He almost the height on my chest.

"Blippy be hearin' a call from the come and go room." He says.

"Ah, Blippy is it?" I say to him. "Could you find me a rat or a bird. Something like that. Preferably not a students familiar."

The elf stares at me with wide eyes before disappearing with a soft pop. Why do I have a feeling I'll never see that elf again? Maybe there is something in the room to help pass the time, Dumbledore will probably be strolling in here with Bippy in tow.

Broken jewellery, books, jewellery books, broken books. I pick up a few of the chains, one seems to have an hourglass charm on it. A broken time-turner perhaps? Certainly looks like one. There is no sand in the timer part, well it's actually crushed pixie wings. Another pop sounds from behind me.

"Bippy has found Melvin the frog." He squeaks as he hands me the frog.

"Thank you, Bippy. Good work." He rocks on his feet, apparently basking in the compliment before disappearing with another pop.

"Well, Melvin the frog. Time for a disappearing act, maybe you are as good as Trevor the toad." I place Melvin inside the cabinet and tap the door handle with my wand. I hope Melvin hasn't croaked, always time for a pun. "Schroedinger's frog" I say. Giving the handle again and opening the cabinet, revealing Melvin, but now sporting a top hat.

Now I've got a vanishing cabinet that creates top hats. Sweet.

"Well Melvin, Time for a trip from Hogwarts." I tell the frog as I enter the cabinet, I swear Melvin just winked at me.

I stand in the dark for a moment. How do I even activate this thing from the inside? I start poking random points with my wand until I hear a humming noise. Seems to have done the trick. I immediately regret the decision as I start to spin like I'd taken a portkey. I try and hold on to something but I settle for sitting down instead. The door bursts open and I'm thrown out into a blank white room.

"This definitely isn't Sirius' house." I grumble earning a short burst of laughter from a feminine voice.

"I like this one." The women says. She has red hair, doesn't look more than 20 or so, killer figure covered by a white dress, standing beside her is an identical twin in a red dress with white hair. I push myself off the ground, picking up the top hat that was created. At least something came from the journey.

"I told you He would fall over." White said.

"You only said that because you would make him fall." Red pouts.

"Sorry to interrupt." I begin. "I think I took a wrong turn in the … cabinet?" I say uncertainly, looking around for the cabinet. Just a white room. "Apparently I ended up in Narnia." White laughs this time.

"Narnia?" Red says. "Haven't had that one before, have we?"

White cracks a smile. "Let's give him a clue." She says, taking a bra out from behind her back. 34C …

"'See you in hell, 34C' I think you said." Red smirks at me. I'm feel my slack jawed expression.

"Hell?" I say looking around again. "I expected it to be hotter." Red laughs.

"Most people take that worse." White says.

"You tried to run away last time." Red says. Last time?

"No offence, but I think I would remember visiting hell."

"See?" White says, motioning to me with well maintained hands. "I _told _you his memory wouldn't work if we did it your way!" She scowls cutely at Red.

"Excuse the cuss," I say. "But what the _fuck _is going on here?"

"You're in hell and you think we care about swearing?" White says.

"Anyway." Red says, trying to get us back on track. "To put it simply. Ya dun goofed."

"Oh." I say. "It all suddenly becomes clear. Thank you. I'll jump back in my cabinet and be off then?" I say dryly.

"To think we almost picked that American that didn't have a sense of humour." White says whilst giggling. "We sent you in for a bit of fun, We thought maybe you would have a play about with that philosophers stone, defeat a dark lord or two and maybe get the girl."

"What we didn't account for," Red picks up the spiel. "Was you losing your memory."

"For the record." White adds. "I thought it was a bad way of sending you in. You got kicked in the head by a hippogriff."

I run my fingers through my head whilst trying to make sense of this all.

"Let me get this straight, You two sent me into this world to have a bit of a kick around with the wizards." I pause, they nod. "but you put me in the car and I got kicked in the head?" They nod again. "and now you have pulled me out because I 'goofed'?"

"That's right." White says happily.

"Mon dieu." I sigh. "Where do we go from here then?"

"I figure we will throw you back in." White tells me. "You picked metamorphagus as your thing last time so we'll let you keep that." She reads from a clipboard that wasn't there a second ago.

"We'll be toning that down across the board though." Red adds on. "Nice trick with the Fiendfyre n'all, but that's not how it's supposed to work." She give me a wink.

"This will be a different world, we'll fix a lot of the stuff from before." White continues. "Same wand, same face. Although you can change that about. Your dearest 'Tonksie' will be older." She smirks at me. "You will be waking up on the Hogwarts express as a transfer student from the 'Raycrest Academy' which closed down in May 1994 due to a reduced number of students. You are the only one going to Hogwarts and We'll be going with that Hogwarts sponsorship idea of yours again."

"We're sticking you in runes and arithmancy." Red says to me. "The tri-wizard tournament will be happening this year, we've changed the decision on the age rating, so you will be picked as Hogwart's champion if you put your name in."

"Delacour and Krum will be their respective school champions, and Harry will be picked no matter what." White adds. "Your trunk, books, robes and other school stuff is all ready on the train."

"Follow the first years and be sorted with them." Red tells me. "Oh, and you still have the resurrection stone."

"I do? I suppose I just hand it over to Albus to put in the snitch before he pops it?" I ask them.

"Hang onto it, maybe you can give it to Harry if he ever needs it." White says. "Riddle's ring horcrux is just a ring now, Albus only put the ring on the first time because he saw the hallows sign inscribed on it. It's just plain now."

"So how does the whole thing with the hallows work?" I ask. "Are you two death? Would I become your master or something if I get them all?"

"Or something." White, helpfully, informs me."

"Do you want to be out _master?_" Red whispers in my ear from behind me.

"I think I can live with being an acquaintance." I say, taking a step forward.

"To answer your question, We." White points to herself and Red. "Are not death. Lucy is."

"Lucy?" Almost dreading the answer.

"Full name Lucifer, but she says that's a bit long winded." Red tells me.

"She's coming along to say goodbye to you, You two became rather close on your last visit." White smirks at me.

Doors slam open that were not there before, or maybe they were just seamless, omitting a busty, almost naked 'Lucy'. She seems to be the green haired sister of Red and White.

"Zack!" She shouts as she runs towards me. What the hell is going on?

"Er … Lucy?" I say.

"You remember me!" She squeals as she wraps her arms around my shoulders and holding me tightly. Not knowing what to do and not wanting to anger Lucifer, I snake my arms around her waist.

"It's a shame you have to go so soon." She whispers sultrily into my ear.

"uh." Is all I can manage. What happened last time?

"I brought you a parting gift, well I pulled it out of someone's chest, but a gift all the same!" She tells me, handing me a knife.

My hand fit the handle almost _too _well and the blades seems to be some kind of Damascus steel.

"Now, off you go." Lucy points over my shoulder, I turn to see a blue police box in the room.

"A police box?" I ask the three women. "Very funny." I mutter as I open the door.


	22. Chapter 22: Fleur Delacour

Chapter 22: Fleur Delacour

I wake up hearing a quiet conversation happening near me, then I get poked sharply.

"Looks like he's had one too many pre-games." I hear a cheerful voice say.

"I'm fine, must have fallen asleep." I say, rolling my face out of the mud. Clearly this isn't the Hogwarts express.

I see a hand before me, I grasp it and allow myself to be pulled up.

"Thanks." I say … to Arthur Weasley.

"Let's get you cleaned up." He says before holding his wand loosely and holds his other hand out. I nod, giving my permission. He sucks all the mud from my clothes.

"Oh, I thought you were a drunkard. You must be the same age as my son." He says eyeing me.

"Don't forget you have 6 sons, Dad." Ah, the twins.

"Yes, well. You must be about Ron's age." He waves his hand to Ron." Here for the world-cup I presume?" He asks.

"Uh, yeah. Heard there was a portkey round here." I pat down my pockets. Wand. Check. Trunk. Check. Paper? I pull it out. A ticket for the Quidditch World Cup. I show it to Arthur.

"Ah, Your seat is right beside Harry's. Oh, where are my manners. Arthur Weasley." He says, sticking his hand out to me.

"Zack Jackson." Shaking it.

"These." He carries on. "Are my children, Besides Hermione and Harry." He points them out. "Fred and George are the twins. And those are Ron and Ginny." They each nod at their names.

"We'll miss the portkey, Dad." Ron moans.

Arthur's eyes widen at this. "My, My, we had best be off." He says ushering us on.

My ticket says I have a small one man tent set aside for me from the competition I won. Lucky me?

"Amos!" I hear Arthur call as the Cedric and Amos come into view.

"Arthur!" He replies before shaking Arthur's hand enthusiastically.

"This must be Cedric, always a pleasure." More hand-shaking as he introduces his family.

"Ah, we just picked this fellow up from the mud." Arthur chuckles.

"I'm Zack." I wave and offer the Diggory's a smile.

"Don't go to Hogwarts, do you?" Fred asks, apparently he has woken up now.

"Haven't seen you around before." George says, eyeing my blue hair.

"I'm from the Raycrest Academy, There was only like 20 of us there so it closed down, I'm entering Hogwarts as a fourth year in September." I explain to my crowd. "I won a prize draw for this ticket and a tent." I wave the ticket.

"Best be off, portkey leaves in 15 minutes." Amos claps and we start moving again.

I chat idly about Hogwarts, I get told about the 'players' from various houses and obviously we walked about Quidditch. I noticed that I have the knife Lucy gave me strapped to the inside of my right calf too.

"What electives have you chosen?" Hermione asks me.

"I put down runes and arithmancy, they weren't offered at Raycrest, so I'll be doing catch-up work to begin with." Her eyes lit up at this and we discussed the subjects for a while before we got to the portkey.

"Whys everyone gathering round that manky old boot?" Harry asks Fred.

"That's not just any manky old boot mate, that's a portkey."

"Everyone grab on!" Arthur tells us. I grasp a shoelace just before we spin around. The whirling colours flick up around us, the younger ones in the group hadn't taken portkey's before so they looked ill. We suddenly got thrown away from the boot. Everyone bar Arthur, Amos and Cedric landed on heir feet. By some bizarre twist of fate, I landed standing up too.

We start walking into the grounds to find the Weasley's tent. Amos and Cedric are at the other side of the grounds, whereas mine is slightly closer to the stadium. I accept the invitation to have some lunch as I'm sure my own tent is pretty small.

"Looking forward to Hogwarts then?" The twins ask me simultaneously.

"Learning magic in a castle? What's not to like?" I reply.

"We'll swing by your tent on the way down." Arthur say before taking a bite from a sandwich.

"You said you worked in the Ministry, What is it you do?" I ask him politely.

"I'm in charge of the Misuse of muggle artefacts department. If anyone has charmed or enchanted something to do anything that it wasn't designed for, then we must remove it lest it get back into the muggle world."

"Oh, Busy around summer then?"

"No more than usual." He says. "It's usually around Christmas time, people are more jolly and intoxicated. I'm glad we've gotten more funding this year, the work tends to cut back on my time at home during the holidays when my two eldest come back from abroad." He looks over the chatting teenagers before him. "Anyway." He claps his hands. "Game time in 25 minutes. Let's head past Zack's tent."

We shuffle out of the tent and Arthur places a locking charm on the door canvas.

People are running around, eating, drinking and singing. Foreign wizards from all over the world and people trying to peddle their wares. We find my tent a couple of minutes later.

It's pretty small from the outside, the door is large enough to walk through if I bend my knees. The inside is a good 15 feet squared, a small sink area and a separate shower and bedroom parts. Complimentary omni-oculars and instructions to make it pack iteself up. Evidently I won the tent too.

"I'm going to grab a drink, I'll meet you up in the stands in a minute." I tell them over the roaring crowds. I get a thumbs up as they shuffle away. I find someone without much of a queue.

"A large butterbeer please." I tell him, handing over 7 sickles.

He pulls out a cup from behind him and taps the bottom of it with his wand. He pulls down the lever on a keg, filling the small cup with far more liquid than it should be able to hold. I love magic. He goes stiff and I have to snatch my cup out of the air. What?

"Butterbeer, please." I hear a French accented voice say from behind me followed shortly by. "Merde." and a sigh. I turn round to see a very irate Fleur Delacour. Beautiful doesn't quite do her justice. Her perfect body is cruelly covered by clothes. Wait what? Ah the allure, It changes the way you think. That makes perfect sense.

"Hey, buddy." I slap the drinks vendor hard on the back. "She wants a drink." I say, taking a sip of my own as casually as I could, I'm going to miss the match at this rate. The man fumbles with the cups for a moment, I raise my cup to Fleur as I turn and wade through the crowd. They suddenly part before me, they all have dopey smiles and glazed eyes. Ah, Fleur.

"My very own Moses." I say to her as we walk through the partition. "I think I like you better without the beard though." I wink at her. She laughs melodically.

"Zank you for ze drink. I do not theenk 'e would 'ave notcied me otherwize." She tells me.

"I think he noticed you well enough." I say as we walk up the stairs. "Oh, I'm in the Ministry box." I glance down at my ticket. "15A" I tilt it in her direction as she pulls hers out.

"16A" She reads out. "Eet seems we were destined to meet." She offers me a smile as I feel her allure flow over me again. It's not so bad after the first time.

"Ah, Zack!" I hear Arthur say. "Just in time."

I take my seat beside Harry and Fleur. Most of the men in the top box start to drool as her mother and sister sit beside her. I vaguely recall Jean Delacour, her father, being the French Minister of Magic.

I take another sip of my drink as Fudge begins his speech, welcoming people to the World Cup.

The fans are cheering non-stop, I'm surprised anyone can hear as Ludo Bagman takes over and announces the Irish team entering the pitch.

The fireworks go up and leprechauns fly around, throwing fools gold into the audience. There is a mad scrabble as people try and pick up the false money. They are forced to look up as the Bulgarians fly in.

" aaaaaaand Kruuuuuuuum!" Bagman shouts out using the sonorous charm.

Krum does a short flip and holds his arms up high, basking in the cheers and boo-ing from the Irish supporters. Then their mascots come on, The Veela.

The Delacour's faces turn sour as they begin to dance, enthralling most of the audience. They start muttering to each other in French. I lean over to Fleur.

"Not a fan of the Veela mascots?" I say with a small smile.

She looks at me with wide eyes, It's obvious that no man should be able to resist this many Veela, even her father is sweating. Clearly he can only withstand this much because he is constantly being hit with two veela allures everyday.

"Zey are making everyone zink less of all Veela." She tells me. "Even ze players cannot wizstand zis." She points to the teams, and sure enough they are being held back by female aurors.

"I didn't get your name you know." I say as the Veela entourage leave and the game starts. Quidditch is fun to watch, but I don't need to follow in rapt attention.

"Fleur." She says.

"Zack, although I'm sure you heard Arthur say that." I nod my head in his direction. "You're not really one for the sport are you?" I offer her a smile.

"No. I'm mostly here for appearances." She nods towards her father.

"Your accent just disappeared." I smirk at her as she blushes, she leans a tiny bit closer and talks quietly.

"I'm only supposed to do that to keep people away." She giggles a bit. "Maman says it increases the allure too." Her accent is still there, but not as thick as the fake one.

"Makes sense. I won this seat." Seeing her confusion I add. "A prize draw, I got a free tent too."

She talks about Beauxbatons then I tell her about how my Raycrest closed down.

"You're going Hogwarts then?" She asks.

"Yup, I assume you will be this year too?" I smirk at her.

"The tournament?" She asks with wide eyes. "How did you know?"

"The old guys a few seats back were talking about it." I tap my ears, and screw my eyes shut to morph my ears into a more pointed shape. "A little talent called metamorphasis."

She seems entranced by my ears.

"They're real, feel free to give them a poke." Her cheeks redden slightly. She runs her fingers over them lightly. I shudder at he touch. "Woah, way too many nerve ending in there." She laughs at this. Clearly I don't have the fine control I had from before.

"I did wonder how you got your hair to be such a fantastic blue." She marvels.

Something happens in the game that causes everyone to start roaring even louder. It looks like Krum feinted and caused another player to plough into the ground. After a few more minutes of play Krum managed to catch the snitch, but the Bulgarians ended up losing by 10 points anyway. I should have made a bet or something.

The high ups started to exchange parting words.

"I'd say goodbye." I tell Fleur. "But I suppose I will be seeing you at Hogwarts soon?"

"Per'aps sooner." The accent is back, she winks at me as she walks away, hips swaying.

I shake my head as I walk back to my tent. I could g and party, but I have a feeling that I'll need to pack up my tent and run from Deatheaters soon. I lock my tent from the inside, no reason I can't have a sandwich before I have to get going.

"Hello, Zack." I hear from behind me. I jump into the air as Lucy appears on my counter.

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><p><strong>AN: Here it is. Trying to stretch out mundane things for three years would have been a pain, so skipping them like this will be more entertaining. Enjoy!**


	23. Chapter 23: Deatheaters

**A/N: The story will be getting more adult from here on out i suppose. ****Some one asked why i scrapped the old universe. It's hard to balance someone with the knowledge of the future. Zack could have defeated Voldemort in a few days, I made Zack far too powerful. This time round I hope to take things slower**

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><p>Chapter 23: Deatheaters<p>

"Lucy!" I try and be as casual as possible. Taking a bite from the sandwich.

"How are you liking the tent then?" She asks. "Pretty cosy, right? Gave you a good seat too." She winks at me.

"You also dropped me at the wrong point." I tell her. "White said it was going to be the Hogwarts Express." Trying not to look at the very naked Lucifer.

"White?" She looks puzzled. "Oh! The twins!" She lays on the sofa and giggles, kicking her legs in the air. "Ah." She wipes a tear from her eye. "I never did give them names."

"Not that I don't enjoy your company, but aren't the Deatheaters going to set fire to the tent soon?" I ask,

"Ever the charmer." She says walking over to me. Eyes. Look at her eyes. "Time isn't passing outside at the moment, I told it not to." She hugs me again.

"So," I say, trying to slide out of her grip. "What brings you to my humble abode?" I back away towards the sofa.

"It's a same you don't remember when we met." She says, pushing me onto the sofa. "You were quite successful in seducing me. It gets lonely with only Red and White down there." She straddles me and begins running her fingers through my hair. "Don't worry, I won't eat your soul. You asked that the first time."

That actually makes me feel a lot better. What did I do last time?

She stands up abruptly. "You've got a lot of running to do, pack the tent up." She grins before disappearing in a lick of black fire.

I sigh and open the tent, pressing the pack-up rune cluster as I exit. It folds itself down into a small bag about the size of my fist.

No one is screaming yet, so I guess they haven't started the attack yet. Lot's of drunk people, but no fighting. The Bulgarian fans must have taken the defeat is stride.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Cuts above the general laughter, I see smoke and spells flying around. Only a cruciatus could make a scream like that.

The crowds begin to run past me, I try and push against the crowds hopefully I can help in some way. An explosion hits the crowd beside me, throwing me through the air, I land on some mud, somewhat cushioning the fall. I push myself onto my hands and knees. Good, both arms and legs still intact. Eyes. Check. Both ears. Check. Both hearts? Check. I'm whole.

I hear screaming from a short distance away, I duck behind some tents, trying not to be seen. Three deatheaters surrounding Fleur, Orchestrated cliché, I'm sure.

"_Stupefy._" I mutter, knocking the first one out. He was behind the other two so they haven't noticed me. I can't stun one of the next two because they are shoulder to shoulder. Something is stopping Fleur's allure it seems. If I'm quick I might be able to stun one of them and deal with the next. I sneak up behind them in a low crouch and draw Lucy's knife. I plunge it into the shoulder of the one on the left.

"_Stupefy._" I shout, knocking the second one out. I turn and stamp on the hand of the one I stabbed. "Stupefy." Nothing happens. "_Stupefy._" That's it, not an easy spell for me.

"You two OK?" I ask them. Wait two? Ah, Gabrielle.

"Oui." They squeak out.

I pass them their wands and conjure ropes around the deatheaters.

"If we hang around here the Ministry will find us. I'm sure your father won't be far behind." I sit on the pile of deatheaters. "I'd offer you a seat, but I'm no good at conjuring chairs, and these three are not really that comfy." I smile at the sisters.

"Zack!" I hear the voice of Arthur behind me. "Don't shoot!" He tells his companions, they've already picked Harry up.

"Three more for Azkaban I reckon." I kick one hard in the side. "One of them is bleeding."

The Aurors bustle over and put them in heavy chains and what I assume to be magic inhibiting cuffs.

"Fleur! Gabrielle!" I hear a male voice shout. Jean Delacour runs over and holds them in a hug. Talking to them in French quickly.

"Cruciatus on this wand." An Auror said whilst scanning one of the deatheaters wand.

"That explains a lot." Jean said. "The cruciatus all but stops natural defence in veela blood." He said grimly.

"Bastards." The Auror said, blaring at the tied up men.

"I'm thankful that you arrived in time to help my daughters." He says to the confused Auror.

"Eet was 'im Papa." Gabrielle squeaks whilst pointing at me. Jean turns to me.

"Thank you." He says, pulling me into a short hug. "I recommend the rest of you search the rest of the area before my daughter overcomes the cruciatus, lest you want to embarrass yourselves." He said mirthfully. Not needing to be told twice, they all left swiftly. "Thank you again, but it would be best to get out of range."

Fleur seems to be holding her allure back. Why? I glance over my body, it appears to have changed whilst I was sneaking about. I revert back to the way I was in the stands. Fleur sags in relief, releasing her aura.

"Sorry about that, didn't realise I'd changed my face too." I tell her.

"It's fine, I didn't recognise you. It's really not easy to hold it back completely like that." Her red face slowly reverting back.

"Oh, manners. Zack Jackson." I say, shaking Jean's hand. "I was sitting beside Fleur during the match." I absently wave my hand towards the arena and change my hair blue again.

His eyes widened slightly as he recognised my hair. "Ah! Yes I remember. Blue I called you to my wife." I chuckled at this.

"I'll probably be seeing you all for the tournament. I need to go and see if my friends are Ok now though." I wave to them before jogging off to find the Weasleys. The dark mark is hanging in the sky.

I find them near the tent, clearing their stuff out to get it to pack. "Everyone alright?" I ask

"Yes, but someone took Harry's wand and cast that horrific spell with it." Hermione tells me, pointing at the skull. "You look pale, are you ok?" She looks over me.

"I think I put a bit too much into those stunners and stabbing somebody isn't a pleasant experience." I rub my eyes. "I'm knackered. I wonder if I can get an Auror to side-along me to the Leaky Cauldron." I scan the area, looking for a non-busy Auror.

"Nonsense." Arthur says. "I'll take you once we've finished the tent." He pats my shoulder. "We have a portkey to the Burrow, so we can all take that then you can use our floo."

Bill and Charlie are here now, seems they apparated here instead of walking an getting the portkey with us.

"You must be the other Weasleys." I smile at them.

"Zack right?" Bill says. "Dad told us about the Deatheaters, Nice job on his shoulder." He grins at me.

I pull out the knife and hand it to Bill handle first. "It was a gift from a friend. Pretty nice looking thing." I tell them. "The knife's not bad either." Charlie laughed loudly at this as Bill inspected the knife.

"Amazing quality. This isn't Goblin made, is it?" He asks me.

"No idea. She gave it to me without explanation."

"So you've got no idea what this is?" He looks amused when I shake my head. "Hold the handle and slap the base of it with your other hand."

He hands me back the knife and stands back, making Charlie step back too. I hold it out, a little unsure now, I pat the bottom of the handle causing the blade to extend out about 2 feet into a curved blade.

"Looks like this friend of yours has given you a katana." He says to me.

"That's pretty awesome." I wave it around then shrink it back to the knife version. "Wicked." I grin at them.

"Tent's done." Arthur calls to us. "Portkey in two minutes." He waves a length of rope above his head.

"Ropes are much better than boots." I say.

"Muggles might pick up rope though, so we use things like boots." Charlie explains.

We begin to spin in colours then we get deposited by the burrow. Again, I somehow land on my feet. Molly runs out and pulls everyone into a hug her eyes are puffy and red.

"I was so worried when I heard about the attack on the wireless!" She allows herself to be pulled into a hug.

"I offered for this young man to use our floo, We came across him on the way to the portkey this morning and his seat was beside ours." Arthur explains to his wife.

"Come along dear." She waves me inside the kitchen, I take a hand of floo powder. I flick a sickle to her as I say "Diagon Alley".

I exit the floo with a roll and end up on my feet. Definitely enjoying wizard travel more now. I head over to the bar.

"Can I get a room until September? So that's four nights." I ask Tom.

"Yer name?"

"Zack Jackson."

"Seems like someone 'as already paid for yer room." He hands me the key. "Room 666." Of course it is.

"Thanks." I say as I make my way to the stairs. I short walk to the 66th room of the sixth wing as I'm presented with my room. The key glows as I put it near the lock, helpful for the dark I suppose. I push the door open. It's similar to room one, but the bed is slightly smaller.

And Lucy is already in this bed.

"Room 666?" I say, grinning. "How did you free up this room?" I jump onto the bed, launching her into the air, she lands on ground, I roll over and look down at her.

"Nobody ever books this room as it is." She climbed back onto the bed. "They think it's haunted or some shit." She curls up next to my body.

"Is it?" I ask her with a smirk.

She rolls over and sits atop me. Maybe I had the right idea the first time round?

"Sometimes." She leans in close. "People say they hear screaming coming from this room."

Is it a good idea to sleep with the devil? Absolutely not. Am I going to do it? Absolutely.

* * *

><p>I wake up with green hair in my face. Evidently Lucy has to sleep as well.<p>

"Morning, Zack." She says as she rolls over, kissing me softly. "I'd say I have work to do, but that would be a lie." She pulls my knife from the headboard and pokes idly at her fingers.

"What's the deal with this sword-knife thing anyway?" I ask her.

"It was stuck in somebody that died, I was wandering around that general area so I took it." She spins the knife in her hand. "It's enchanted to stay sharp and be sharper. All that nonsense. The metal is actually several layers of mithril and celestial bronze. Spells would bounce of if it was the bronze alone, but the mithril absorbs the spells."

"That's pretty cool." I wonder if I could actually cut a spell out the air. Probably not. "You've restored my balance too."

She giggles at this. "As much fun as it was watching you fall over, I don't want you falling over in front of a dragon." She laughed again. "You're going to enter, right?"

"Nothing better to do, might be able to help Harry out." I probably won't be able to stop Voldemort being resurrected. "Will I have company in the champions tents?" I grin at her, stealing another kiss.

"Maybe bring the lovely Ms. Delacour along too." She laughs again.


	24. Chapter 24: Zack to the future

**A/N: I love the title for this chapter**

* * *

><p>Chapter 24: Zack to the future.<p>

For the devil, Lucy makes for quite good company. We wandered about Diagon Alley during the few days before Hogwarts. I made a trip to the bank to collect my scholarship gold. Since I can't create my own clothing I have to buy it all, so I was forced to try on numerous articles of clothing. Lucy can either hold multiple forms across multiple dimensions, or she just really wasn't busy. I did get myself some big chunky combat boots too, there isn't a rule against wearing them at Hogwarts.

"How long have you been the devil for then?" I ask when we get ice cream on the final day before school.

"Eh, About 8000 years." She says flippantly. "I don't know what happened to the previous one, I think he screwed himself by making those 'Deathly Hallows'."

"So you just appeared some day at the beginning of the Egyptian empire?" It's about 8000 year I think.

"Pretty much." She continues to eat the ice cream. "Didn't have ice cream back then, and they sacrificed a lot of virgins. Shame."

"How many tombs are there?" I ask. "I know Bill Weasley consistently helps break them open."

"Thousands." She says. "People could crack ten every month since I started and they would even be close to finding them all. The Egyptians at the time loved folding space and warding." Her eyes widened. "Oh, I've got you another present." Suddenly Freya bursts from the air and lands on the table.

"Freya!" I had wondered what happened to her.

"She was quite adamant about coming along." Lucy explains. "There was an attack at the Raycrest Academy, a student used Fiendfyre. Freya got caught in it and she is your phoenix. This happened when you were eleven and was kept quiet like you metamorph ability for your protection. That's why nobody at Hogwarts knew before now."

"Thanks." I grin at her, scratching Freya's feathery head.

"It's getting late, you should go to bed. I have souls to torment." He eyes lit up as she skipped out of the ice cream parlour. I walk back to the Leaky Cauldron.

"Give me a knock if I'm not up by nine, Tom." I tell the bartender as I walk past.

"Will do."

I trek up the stairs to my room, Glad to see that the potions cabinet is in this room too. Genius, pure genius. I grab a dreamless sleep potion before going to bed.

* * *

><p>"<em>Zack.<em>" I hear a voice waking me up. "_Get out of bed you sack of shit._" My darling Freya.

"Bloody bird." I grumble as I roll onto the floor. "Uuuh." I groan again.

"_You'll miss the train._" She says dryly.

Oh no. "_Tempus._" I flick my wand. '_8:00AM September 1__st__ 1994_' "I have plenty of time."

Freya mentally laughs at me. Bloody bird. I start packing everything into my trunk. Books, robes, shirts, socks, more books and a rune inscribing kit I got from Mundungus Fletcher for 13 galleons, poor bloke didn't know what he had. It has an enchanted tip so it can withstand extreme heating, then it is as simple as writing the runes out, although how easy that is I've yet to find out. I shrink my trunk and shove it in my pocket.

"Looks like you'll be having a burning day soon." Tom says whilst eyeing Freya's blue plumage. I look closer, she does seem to have dimmed a bit, the train ride should give her a nice amount of time to grow after she burns.

"_I am feeling a bit sluggish. I can force the burn as we get on the train._" She tells me.

"She is feeling the age, Tom." I relay the message whilst idly stroking her head.

"Quite the marvellous bird, she is." Tom say as he places my plate before me.

Freya straightens up at this, still looking majestic. This will be her first burning day, but the story goes that we've been together for three years, so best not to mention that.

"She knows it." I tell Tom with a grin. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried about her burning, sure she is a creature of fire, but I can't imagine it being pleasant.

"_I'll be fine._" She says. "_It can't be any worse than Fiendfyre._"

"Too true." I say under my breath.

I skim through the Daily Prophet, a small section about Raycrest closing down for good and rumours about something going down in the Ministry. The tri-wizard tournament is defiantly something. Still more speculation about the attack on the Quidditch World Cup and a short article about the school year starting again.

"Best be getting on, Zack. It's 10 now." Tom calls over to me. I give him a thumbs up and turn to Freya, who is perched on my table.

"You sure you can flame us there?" I ask. "I can just take the floo."

"_What kind of phoenix would I be if I couldn't handle this?_" She says, grabbing on to me and bursting us into flame. We reappear on the platform as Freya bursts in flames, leaving a baby phoenix is a pile of ash. "_See? Nothing to it._" She mentally smirks at me.

"Alright then, You're the best still." I chuckle as I scoop her up into my shirt pocket. I quickly collect the dim blue ash into a bag, Might have a use or two. Not the most common ingredient, I'm sure.

"_Don't leave me in this pocket._" Freya tells me in an almost childlike voice. "_I'll be full size when we get to Hogwarts. We have to make an entrance._" Of course.

I wade through the speechless crowd and onto the train heading down the compartments looking for a friendly face. The Weasleys are almost always late. I grab an empty compartment and rifle through my potions book for information about phoenix ashes.

"Zack!" I hear a surprised voice a few minutes later. I look up to see a slightly red-cheeked Hermione Granger.

"Ah, Hermione." I smile at her.

"Did you get home OK after the world cup?" She asked quickly with a slight frown, her eyes flickered briefly to my shoulder.

"Well I flooed to the Cauldron, It's like home now." I pause, watching her face with a smile. "and yes, before you explode, this is a phoenix resting on my shoulder. Freya used the last of her power to transport us to the platform." I explain. "Quite the entrance, I must say." I scoop Freya into my hands, she is now slightly more blue that grey, and place her on Hermione's lap. She instantly stokes the small feathery head.

"She's so pretty." She whispered. "Where did you find a phoenix?"

"Well she found me really." Best not to explain the Fiendfyre part, I'm still not happy that Freya was caught in that fiasco.

"_I like this one. She smells nice._" Freya chirps, making me laugh. Hermione looks at me strangely.

"She likes you. You smell nice evidently." I smile as her cheeks redden slightly.

I start looking through the book again. Maybe it's just ash? Probably the case.

"What are you looking for?" Hermione asks, trying to peek over the rim of my book.

"Wondering if phoenix ashes have a use in potions. Freya made a bit of a mess when she burnt." I swap the book for Freya, Hermione begins to leaf through it. The door slides open. Harry and Ron enter.

"Of course, Hermione is reading a book." Ron says to Harry. Hermione doesn't even acknowledge them entering.

"G'Morning to you two." Harry says to us. Hermione doesn't even blink.

"I asked her to look something up." I explain to them. They nodded at this apparently normal behaviour.

They realise that I have a phoenix and fire a few questions at me before the train starts to move.

"Phoenix ashes can be used in the strongest burn salves ever made, the ashes are highly sought after." Hermione says happily, handing me back my potions book.

"How long was I reading?" She asks. "Freya has grown so much!" She marvels at the now pigeon sized phoenix.

"About quarter of an hour, something like that." Ron says. "It's Zack right? Dad mentioned that you saved those girls."

"I caught the attackers by surprise really." I shrug, this somehow creates an awkward silence in the compartment, broken by Hermione.

"Is Zack short for anything?" She asks. "It usually is."

"Is Hermione short for anything? Is usually isn't." I counter with a smirk.

"You … but … " She shakes her head and returns her attention to Freya.

"I wonder what house I'll be in." I muse to them. "I think you mentioned Gryffindor and Slytherin when we were walking to the portkey."

This prompted a conversation about the houses and teachers at Hogwarts.

"Do any of you play Quidditch?" I ask. "You two seemed quite _entranced_ by the World Cup." Only Hermione seemed to get the reference to the Veela mascots.

"Harry's been the seeker since out first year." Ron says with a grin. "Youngest seeker in a century."

"I usually end up almost being killed before the matches, or during the matches sometimes." He says with smile.

"Killed?" I ask. The trio begin to explain about the basilisk, Quirrell and the dementors, leaving out the parts about Sirius.

The door slides open to reveal Draco Malfoy.

"Ah, if it isn't the Golden Trio." He says mockingly. He looks at me." And who's this?" He rakes his eyes over my well tailored clothes and finally he looks at Freya, who is now about the size she was as a hawk.

I stand up to face him. "Just Zack for now." I say, extending a hand out, He nods and shakes it.

"Draco Malfoy. A transfer student?" He asks. Does he think I'm important? "Or perhaps here for … another reason?" Ah, his Father no doubt knows about the tournament. His eyes flicker to Freya again.

"Both." I explain, taking my seat again. "I'd offer you a seat, but I believe I'm outnumbered by three glares." I say whilst smiling at the others.

"I'll take my leave then." He says, not taking his eyes off Freya.

"He seems …. nice?" I venture.

"_I thought he was eyeing me up like food._" Freya says, apparently awake again.

I chuckle at this. "I don't think he wanted to eat you, my dear." I scratch the top of her head.

"Malfoy's a slimy git." Ron declares. Harry nods at this.

"Golden Trio?" I ask with a smirk. They groan at this.

"You know who Harry is, Yes?" Hermione asks.

"More or less." I say trying to keep my smile down.

"Ron and I are seen as his groupies." She huffs.

"Ah, side-kicks for the boy-who-lived?" I laugh at their scoffs. "Three heads are better than one I say."

"Or just one Hermione." Harry says. The bushy-haired witch blushes slightly, turning her attention to Freya, who left my shoulder for Hermione's lap.

"I'm going to look for Fred and George." Ron says standing up. "See if they have anything to eat." He heads off down the train. Hermione begins to tell Harry about her trip to France, I get a cruel idea.

"So." I say, an evil smile settling on my face. "Are you two an item?"

They began spluttering and blushing.

"You don't have to convince me, only yourselves." They couldn't look me or each other in the eye. I stroked Freya's chin.

"_You're horrible._" She says to me.

"_Inception. They'll thank me later._" I reply. "_I've got nothing against Ginny, I just think the likelihood that she used a love potion, like Molly did to Arthur, is pretty high._"

"_She's not done anything yet._" Freya says.

"_and now she probably never will._"

I pull out an Apothecary Exchange book. It's a neat shop further down in Diagon Alley that you can sell potion ingredients to. So how growers of plants can sell to them. They don't offer crazy prices for the common plants, but something like Phoenix ashes or tears could be worth a fair bit of gold. A feather or two might fetch some gold.

"_Why are you wanting to sell off the bi-products of my body?_" She asks me.

"_Think of all the food I could get you with the gold._" I turn to her and grin. She looks away, I know I'm right.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I'm toying with the idea of removing the prologue. Draco knows that expensive clothing usually means people are important. Zack isn't nobility, They probably won't be best friends, Zack is a 'filthy mudblood' after all. Enjoy!**


	25. Chapter 25: Hogwarts Begins

Chapter 25: Hogwarts begins

There is only about an hour until the train gets to Hogsmeade. A few giggling girls came in took a look at Harry then ran off.

"I can see how that can get irritating for you." I say after the third group. "I'd offer to take a pack for you." I don his messy black hair. "But I'd probably charm their knickers off. Not the image you want to put out I guess." He starts laughing loudly at this. Hermione's cheeks are faintly pink. There is a knock at the door.

"Anything from the trolley?" The old lady asked, Harry bought a whole load of junk food. Chocolate frogs, Berite Botts Beans, pumpkin pasties and cauldron cakes.

"The whole world is obsessed with pumpkins." I muse as I take a bite from a pumpkin flavoured cauldron cake. "So, You've almost been killed every year so far, what'dya reckon it'll be this time?"

He groans and rubs his eyes. "Hopefully it will be a swift death, save me the pain." He laughs dryly.

"You two had better change into your robes." Hermione instructs us as she blacks out the window and walks outside.

"Blasted robes." I say.

"Don't like them?" Harry asks with a smirk.

"They hide the good bits." I say, nodding my head towards the door. Harry grins at this. He rummages in his trunk for a shirt, I see his back covered in welts and cuts, they look aged thankfully. "Got a couple of nicks of your back there." I nod at him.

Surprisingly he doesn't whip round or cover them up. "The term 'less than adequate care' comes to mind." He says, pulling a shirt on.

"I can't remove scars, I can only move them with my abilities." I show him my back and chest. "Orphanages aren't the nicest of places." I move my scars to the soles of my feet.

"You shouldn't hide them." He says. "Although I can't really preach this to you, don't mention them to Hermione, please." He looks me in the eye.

"Silence for silence." I say, shaking his hand. Hermione came back, now in uniform, just as the train stopped. The windows in the train walkway turned into doors, we stepped out onto the platform.

"Hagrid!" Harry calls to the giant man.

"'Ello 'Arry, 'Ermione." He grins at us. "Oh, You must be Zack?" He asks. I nod. "You are 'spost to come on the boats with me." He explains.

"I'll follow these short ones then?" I ask him with a grin, he laughs loudly. "Come on Freya." I say to my companion, who was walking on the floor for some reason.

"Merlin!" Hagrid shouts. "Is tha' a phoenix?!"

"She sure is." I reply with a grin. "I'm going to cast a notice-me-not charm on myself and cancel it when I'm sorted. Don't want to cause a stir before then." Hagrid lets out another bark of laughter.

"No more than four to a boat!" He calls out. To the outside observer, my boat is empty as we cross the lake.

"Mind yer 'eads!" Hagrid bellows as we pass under the vines.

As we exited the tunnel, Hogwarts came into view. Truly a sight to behold. Hagrid turned back to see the looks of awe with a smile.

"Land ho!" He calls out as we approach the shore, we quickly make our way to the doorway. Three big knocks later and the door opened to McGonagall. "Firs' years." Hagrid said, sweeping his arm over their heads. She ushered us to the Great Hall's door and looked over us. Her eyes met mine and she almost, _almost_, smiled as she could see past my notice-me-not. She began her speech about the houses. She opened the doors and we shuffled inside.

McGonagall began calling out the names of the first years. There are a few Aurors inside the room, no doubt acting as extra security for the tournament. After a few minutes of sorting, the roof starting crackling, Mad-eye Moody stepped out from the shadows and shot a spell into the roof. He exchanges a few words with Dumbledore before taking his seat, the sorting picks up again.

"Jackson, Zack." Is called after the last firsty was sorted, something Wilson. I dispel my concealment charm on myself and Freya, drawing gasps from students and staff. I walk towards the stool. I attempt to walk would be more accurate, I trip over of the blasted step, evidently my balance is gone again. I fight my hair to turn blue again and sit on the stool after picking myself up.

"_You again?_" The hat asks.

"_Me again._" I mentally grin at the hat.

"_I suppose we will sit tight and make it look like I'm sorting you._" It tells me.

"_Sure thing Hat. Picked up any good jokes over the year?"_

"_Sadly no. I can see into the minds of all the people in this castle though." _The Hat says as if it's a joke.

"_Neat trick._" I push the brim of the hat up. I scan the room . There she is, pink hair and all. "_Oh this will be fun._" I grin.

"RAVENCLAW!" The hat shouts out. I get a polite applause as I take my seat.

"Welcome, old and new, to another year at Hogwarts." Dumbledore begins speaking. "I have only two words before we start. 'Dig in!'"

The food appears on the plates that were not her a second ago. A shift of movement started along with all the voices. A few people were torn between staring at my hair and staring at Freya.

"Yes, This is a phoenix. Her name is Freya." I say politely before I start to eat. Not much is said whilst we all eat. I took a few requests for hair colours and explained that Raycrest shut down.

Dumbledore stands up and begins his speech before moving on to the notices.

"Our caretaker, Mr. Filch, Has asked me to remind you that there is to be no magic in the hallways." His eye flickered to Fred and George briefly. "And lastly there will be no inter-house Quidditch this year."

The Great Hall burst into shouts of protest. Dumbledore raised his hand and begins talking again.

"For this year, Hogwarts will be playing host for not only two other schools, but also the legendary Tri-Wizard Tournament."

The hall breaks into whispers and cheering this time. Dumbledore did his speech about eternal glory and prize money. How many people can name any tri-wizard champion?

"And lastly there will be an age restriction for entering. I tried to have it for the age of 17, but the Ministry insisted that 14 would suffice. Do not enter this tournament lightly, many witches and wizards have died before." He let that hang in the air. "Now, time for the Hogwarts song. If everyone would pick a line from their favourite. One, Two and three."

The hall broke out into a cacophony of random songs at different tempos and volumes.

"Ah, music. One magic we cannot explain." Dumbledore smiles and waves us off to bed.

I get led to the Ravenclaw tower with the first years and we are presented with the raven statue with a much more boring riddle than last time about breaking silence.

"The girls dorm is up the stairs and the boys is down." The female prefect says to us. "Girls can enter the boys dorm, but boys cannot enter the girls. Don't even try." She looked specifically at me for the last part. I grin at her. After a quick word about curfew we are sent to bed.

My room is much the same as I had before, the window is slightly larger, possibly to accommodate Freya's coming and going. Silly castle. She can teleport. I attempt to put up silencing charms on the door as well as locking it, I suppose I'll find out how effective they are later. I down a dreamless sleep potion I got from the Cauldron.

Seconds later it's morning. Taking this potion for sleep is a bit jarring.

"_I'm hungry, wake up._" I hear Freya say.

"Gimmeaminute." I slur out.

I climb out of bed and put my uniform on. Up bright and early on the first day.

"Off we go?"

Freya grasps my shoulder with her talons before flashing us into the Great Hall. I fall onto the floor.

"Marvellous timing." I hear Dumbledore, who had apparently done the same thing as me, but landed on his feet. "I think I was a bit more graceful on my entry." He smiles at me, offering his hand.

"They seem to be getting along well." I point up to Fawkes and Freya, who are perched on a window sill.

"Yes, Fawkes has barely stopped talking since you arrived." Dumbledore watches the two birds. "How long?"

"Three years, sir." Sticking to the story. "And you?"

"Fourty-nine this year." He says to me. "He does get lonely sometimes." He adds with a small smile, before clapping suddenly. "Breakfast awaits." He smiles and walks to the teachers table. I glance up at the phoenixes once more before sitting down for breakfast.

"Wotcher!" I hear a minute later, as someone sits down opposite me. I look up to see Tonks grinning at me.

"Auror Tonks, right?" I ask whilst casually putting more butter on to the already buttered toast.

"How did you know?" She looks at me curiously.

"You don't think I wouldn't find out the name of the only other metamorph in the country?" I smirk at her.

"How come I've never heard of you?" She asks me.

"My old school kept it quiet, for my safety evidently, same thing about Freya." I jerk my thumb towards the phoenixes.

"Makes sense I guess." She watches Freya for a while.

"So you're what, 22? 23? Pretty good to become an Auror so fast."

"20, I thought you said you looked me up?"

"I found your name and saw that you were an Auror, I expected a female Mad-Eye Moody." I joke and nod my head to the staff table.

"Erk, Gross." She shudders. "Mad-Eye took me on as an apprentice straight out of Hogwarts, two solid years of training and I'm back here for security for the tri-wizard tournament."

"Trained by the best, I see." Being a metamorph would make undercover work easy. "Are you allowed to eat?" I gesture to the food. "None of the people I've met are in Ravenclaw."

She picks an apple from a bowl. "The other school ain't here yet, I'm not sure why we are here exactly, maybe looking for traps. Easy money." She grins.

"Traps? Hmm, I could rig the portcullis to drop onto them when the enter." I muse to her

A nameless Prefect hands me my schedule.

"I'd best be off, I've got a greenhouse to _guard._" Tonks says to me.

"Herbology first thing." I hand her my schedule. "Looks like we're going to bed late." I say after casting a _Tempus_ charm.

"Bugger!" Tonks mutters.

"I have a terrible idea." I grin at her, snaking my arm around her waist as Freya grab my shoulder. We burst into flames one moment and the next Tonks is laying on top of me inside greenhouse 2.

"Never do that again." She groans.

"Not something you want to hear when a pretty witch is on top in you." I grin at her.

"Ahem." I hear a voice near us. Almost everyone in the class is staring at us. Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. Professor Sprout is stuck between a frown and a grin. "Perhaps you would like to join the lesson?"

"Wotcher Sprout." Tonks says after getting off of me. "Bit of trouble with a phoenix." She grins.

"_It's not my fault neither of you can keep our balance._" Freya tells me.

"Evidently teleporting two metamorphs was never going to end well." I tell her.

Sprout turns to the class after giving Tonks a stool. "Today we will be collecting the pus from the bubotuber plant."

"_Pus?_" Seamus says incredulously.

"Yes, Finnegan. Pus."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry about the delay on this one. Enjoy.**


	26. Chapter 26: The Goblet of Fire

**A/N: Raycrest is a fictional place that was thought up by Lucifer to explain Zack's past to Hogwarts. Enjoy.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 26: The Goblet of Fire<p>

Bubotuber pus is used to clear up pimples, but if you touch it undiluted it causes pimples. Almost like nettles and dock leafs, but one plant. The plant looks like a black slug on top, the stalks below it are covered in pimple like protrusions, We have to squeeze them into small vials.

Luckily I can still form scales, though they are nowhere near as strong as my previous ones, they can stop the pus reaching my skin. Trying to squeeze the pimples with gloves on isn't easy.

"So, Does is Auror your first name?" I ask, attempting to engage a bored looking Tonks in conversation.

"It's just Tonks if you value the way your face is arranged." She says whilst patting her wand holster.

"Well then, _Just Tonks_, What house were you in here?"

"Hufflepuff, much to Sprouty's eternal happiness." She grins at 'Sprouty'.

"Never in all my years has one of mine had so many detentions!" She says with a smile.

"Ever make Prefect?" I ask. "Start you whole Auror thing early?"

"She lacked certain … abilities." Sprouty says.

"Like the ability to behave." Tonks mutters.

One of the pimples bursts onto my hand.

"Not pleasant looking stuff is it?" I hold my hand up, showing off the thick yellowy-grey liquid. "Funny that the plant has evolved to have such a defence, yet we use it to cure it's own attack."

"Five points to Ravenclaw for an insightful thought." Professor Sprout says as she walks away.

If I had a point for every insightful thought I've had I would win the house cup in a day.

"I heard a story about bubotuber pus being inside of letter." I say to Tonks. "Not really your area is it?"

She shakes her head. "Catching dark wizards and peacekeeping." She shrugs. "Sometimes its standing in the rain in Diagon Alley trying to look menacing."

"Glamorous." She snorts at this.

"Bring your vials to the front, then off to lunch." Sprout says at the end.

The next couple of days were mostly uneventful, I chatted with Tonks most meals and became close to 'The Golden Trio' I'm not sure Harry even notices Ron giving him the stink eye when girls giggle around him.

I had begun hearing stories about Mad-Eye's DADA lessons, showing off the unforgivables to fourth-years and higher. Now I find myself waiting in the DADA room for the Deatheater to show up.

"Good morning class." Mad-Eye says as he enters the room. He grabs some chalk off the desk and writes his name. "Ministry malcontent. And your new defence against the dark arts teacher. I'm here because Dumbledore asked me, end of story, goodbye, the end. Any questions?"

His eye spins across the students as he lets the question float in the air. He begins pacing along the front of the classroom.

"When it comes to the dark arts, I believe in a more practical approach." He stops and faces us. "Which of you can tell me how many _unforgivable_ curses there are?" He stares around.

"Three sir." I say.

"And they are so named?" He isn't really being original here.

I shrug. "They are unforgivable. Illegal."

"Correct. The Ministry says you're to young to see the effects of these spells. I say otherwise. Which shall we see first? Bones!" He shouts at one of the 'Puffs. "Give us a curse."

"My Aunt mentioned the imperius ..." She trails off.

He crosses over and grabs a spider from a jar. "_Engorgio!_ _Imperio!_" He makes the spider jump between desks, much to the horror of it's occupants. "Scores of witches and wizards have claimed that they only do did you-know-whose bidding under the influence of the imperious curse. But here's the rub, how do we sort out the liars? Another.. another.."

"The cruciatus." Someone says a few tables back from mine.

"The torture curse. _Crucio!_" He hisses, the spider begins to writhe in pain. "and the last. Perhaps you can tell us, Jackson." Both his eyes focus on me, his tongue flicks out of his mouth briefly.

"The killing curse. The AK." He looks at me before placing the spider on my desk.

"_Avada Kedavra_." The spider dies an instant later. "Only one person is known to have survived it. And he's in this very school." He lets that hang in the air before dismissing us to dinner. Freya grabs my shoulder, taking me to dinner before disappearing to do whatever she does during the day.

"Wotcher." I hear Tonks say, offering me a hand up.

"Hey Tonks." I accept her hand and allow myself to be pulled up. "Care to join me for a spot of dinner?"

"Sure, I've just come back from Hogsmeade. The weather is awful." She slumps down onto the bench beside me. "Going to put your name in the cup?" She asks after a few minutes.

"I reckon so." I look at the Goblet of Fire. "The chances of me being pulled out are pretty slim. I'm sure it will be a fantastic way to die." I grin. Freya comes back from her … whatever.

"She likes grapes." I tell Tonks, who dutifully begins feeding Freya.

"What was Raycrest like?" She asks me. "I mean compared to Hogwarts."

I never actually went to anywhere called Raycrest, It's just the cover story. A 14 year-old metamorph popping out of nowhere would be hard to believe.

"It was a Wizarding orphanage." I start to explain. "So we didn't have the whole pureblood thing, because of this everyone was on the same level." I loosen my tie and unbutton my shirt. "So they picked me out for being a metamorph." Tonks gasps at the sight of my scarred chest. I actually picked up the scars in my previous life, before I was a wizard. "This is nothing. My back is worse." I button my shirt up and straighten my tie. "I prefer Hogwarts." I grin at Tonks.

"You're mental." She shakes her head with a sad smile.

"People still look at me like I'm a monster, but at least I haven't been attacked yet." I continue grinning. "Have you got some parchment, I'll go put my name in now."

She hand me a scrap whilst I fish a quill from my bag.

"One of the bonuses of being friends with a phoenix is having unlimited access to really badass quills." I tell her, showing off the blue phoenix feather in my hand.

'Zack Jackson. Hogwarts.' I write.

I swing my legs past the bench and head for the cup. I hear 'Mudblood thinks he's got a chance.' and other less than polite whispering. I put my name in the goblet. I wonder how Ron will react to having Harry's name called as the fourth champion even though 14 is the age requirement. Probably the same as his won't say Hogwarts on it. I return to my seat.

"One week til the names are called, eh?" I ask Tonks.

"Yep, 6 days until the other schools get here too."

The next day I find myself in DADA again. Hannah Abbot, being the first in the alphabet, was just put under the imperius.

"Next!" Mad-Eye calls, or Barty Crouch.

Susan Bones walks to the front of the class and lasts about 2 seconds before dancing on the spot. 2 second longer than 90% of the wizard population would. I'm impressed.

"Jackson, your turn." He says after a few more people. He grins evilly at me. I'm about to willingly let a Deatheater cast an unforgivable on me. I've gone mad.

"_Imperio!_" He calls out.

The spell washes over me and I feel my body going numb. 'Dance' I hear a voice say softly. Dance?

"Fuck no." I grumble out and slug Fake Mad-Eye in the gut.

He begins to cough and laugh as he sits back on his desk. "Excellent!" He laughs more. "Excellent. Take 10 points for Ravenclaw!" I sit back down at my desk as he calls up the next victim.

The day that Beauxbatons and Durmstrang are due to arrive is soon upon us. There were no classes on today so I've spent it listening to Hermione trying to convince Harry and Ron about S.P.E.W.

"Hermione." I finally say. "I have limited knowledge about house elves, but I'm fairly certain that they go insane and die if they are not bound to a witch or wizard. Their magic begins to fluctuate and they die." I try and say as gently as possible. "Maybe one of these books have something about the bond itself?" I begin idly looking through contents pages.

"Is that a flying house?!" Someone shouts. Everyone looks up seeing four large horses flying in with a big cart.

"Maybe it's a pumpkin?" I say to those around me.

"It's a carriage!" Someone yells.

"Clear the runway!" Hagrid calls over the chattering, he has to dive sideways to avoid the abraxans.

"The lake!" A boy shouts as everyone begins to push and shove to get a view of it.

We are all ushered into the Great Hall, apparently we have to watch them make an entrance for dinner. Dumbledore stands up, all eyes turn to him.

"Please join me in welcoming the lovely ladies of the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and their headmistress Madam Maxine." He raises his hands to the doors.

A group of girls dressed in blue begin to almost dance down the centre of the Great Hall, Releasing butterflies above the tables. Their faces are covered by veils currently. Madam Maxine greets "Dumblydoor."

"And now, our friends from the north. The proud sons of Durmstrang!" He calls out.

The military uniformed students of Durmstrang pour into the room, slamming staffs on the floor, making sparks, and flipping around. Hogwarts students burst into conversation as Viktor Krum walks in beside Kakaroff.

Kakaroff pulls Dumbledore into a big hug. "Albus!"

"Igor." They exchange a few quiet words and shakes hands.

"Our guests have tonight to enter their names into the Goblet of Fire, Tomorrow evening one name from each school will be chosen as a champion. Be sure to make everyone feel welcome at Hogwarts." He raises his own goblet as the food appears on the tables.

The Durmstrang students sit down at the Slytherin table after a moment. The Beauxbatons witches glance over the tables for a moment, one breaks away from the group and walks over to the Ravenclaw table, removing her veil. This causes almost every male in the room to begin drooling. I stand up and Fleur pulls me into a hug before planting a kiss on each cheek.

"Zack!" She says. "Eet 'as been to long."

Every male is either looking at her with lust filled eyes, or at me with fiery eyes of envy. While the female population look upon Fleur with the same envy, a few smack their boyfriends.

"Your carriage looked a bit small." I say as we sit down. "All those witches in a small space for a the hours the flight took." I wink at her. People around me cough or spit their drinks out.

"Yes, zer are no windows in ze carriage." She matches my grin. "Eet was very 'ot and sweaty." She says in a sultry voice.

The rest of the Beauxbatons witches sat down at the Ravenclaw table.

"Eet is a work of art." She began to explain after a minute of eating. "Not anozer exists like eet. Ze rooms are very large and 'allways have enough space for us all." She stops for a moment. "Eet is bigger on the inside."

I feel her allure wash over me with more force. Even the girls started to squirm around us.

"Fleur, you were right." One of the girls in blue says. "'E doesn't even notice it!" She looked at me like she was trying to read my mind.

"I feel it." I explain. "I'm very flattered. You appear to have broken my school as well." I gesture to the mindless fools around us. "One of your friends seems to not be coping well."

I point to a red faced girl a few seats down. Fleur leans over to my ear.

"She prefers the company of other girls. She's about as susceptible as a normal man." She looks around for a moment. "Even straight girls cannot fight it off on full force." She looks at the girl beside her.

Fleur broke the school.


	27. Chapter 27: Veeli

Chapter 27: Veeli

"How do you do it?" I ask Fleur towards the end of the meal.

"Do what?" She replies.

"The allure. Is it an organ that I'm missing?" I say. "It'd be cool to replicate it."

She looks at me like I'm mad. "Why would anyone want this?"

"I'd be able to switch it off, it could be useful in a fight." I gesture to the mindless zombies around us. "I could cover your ...scent?" That's it. A pheromone. "Would you be deeply offended if I sniffed you?" I ask with a smile.

"No?" She says uncertainly before flicking her hair over her shoulder. I lean towards her neck, I can hear her heart speeding up, I breath in deeply before moving back.

"It's a lot different that close." I rub my eye. "It's about a hundred times stronger. I almost licked your neck." She laughs melodically at this.

"'ardly appropriate for ze dinner table." She smirks at me. "At least I know 'ow to charm you now."

"I'll have to hold my breath I suppose. You French do love the face kissing." I don't even know if I can mix a veela pheromone. I begin eating pudding. "Pudding is the fuel of all great metamorphing." I close my eyes. I've got almost nothing to work with, maybe I could alter my sweat or something.

"Wotcher, Zack. Ms. Orgasm." I open my eyes to see Tonks winking at Fleur.

"Evenin' Tonks. This is Fleur "Orgasm" Delacour." Fleur laughs at this. "This is Tonks." I point at the pink-haired Auror. "She catch you in the allure then, Tonksie?" I grin at her.

"Nah, it takes a bit more than that to crack this." She raps her knuckles on the side of her head.

"Oh?" Fleur says with a feral smile, she releases part of her allure purely on Tonks, who goes red, then her hair changes red.

"Stop tormenting the poor girl." I chide Fleur, she lets up.

"Apparently I was wrong." Tonks says with a husky voice.

"Cool down there Tonks, you look like your about to jump over the table." She grins at me. "I assume you'll be putting your name in the pool, Fleur?"

She nods. "Eet iz why I came 'ere."

Tonks and Fleur chat for a while whilst I pull apart Fleur's scent in my head. I completely missed Dumbledore dismissing everyone until Tonks slaps my arm.

"Hey!" I rub my arm and open my eyes.

"Dinners over. Don't be such a baby." She slaps my other arm.

"Hey!"

We walk past Harry on the way out.

"Alright Harry? Entering the tournament?" I ask.

"I figure I have enough fame to last a lifetime." He says with a laugh.

"Fleur, This is the marvellous 'Boy-Who-Lived'." Said boy groans.

"You didn't have to introduce me like that." He shakes his head. "It's just Harry."

"Fleur." She says simply.

"Anyway, I'm going to the library. Hermione asked me to help help look up some of that stuff you mentioned." He says to me.

I grin evilly. "Did she? You kids have fun." He shakes his head and walks away. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" I call after him. He flips me the bird without looking back. "And that's the boy-who-lived." I say, Turning to Fleur.

"He's not like what I thought." She says.

"He was raised by muggles. Less than adequately cared for." I say the last bit quieter. "I think I'm a bad influence on him." I smirk.

"You? A bad influence?" She says to me.

"Do you want to put your name in now? I looks like they've set up some parchment." I say pointing back into the hall.

"Oui." She says, we walk back in.

Freya bursts into existence on my shoulder, she drops a couple of her feathers into my hand.

"Thank you." I say, stroking her head. I whip out my wand and cast a 'quilling' charm on the feathers. It strips the feather back slightly and forms a perfect tip if you're good at it. "I have a present for you." I say handing the two quills to Fleur. "I have a near infinite supply of them." I smile at her reaction. Clearly phoenixes are rare all over the world.

She quickly signs her name and drops it into the flames. She gets an applause and cheering from the charmed boys.

"I'll show you around the school some time. I don't really know the layout myself, so I'm sure we'll get lost." I smile at her. "But it looks like your crowd is going back for curfew." I jerk my thumb over my shoulder.

"Merde." She says. "Goodnight." She walks past me.

Don't turn around, Don't turn around. Don't turn around. I slowly turn around to see her retreating behind swaying as she walks. She turn to around and winks as she walks round the corner. Fuck. I head off for the library.

Madam Pince glares at me as I enter, I tripped over a chair last time I was in here. I see Harry and Hermione down one of the isles.

"How are the love birds doing then?" I say when I reach them.

Harry fights a smile as I say this. Hermione pretends not to notice, but I can see the blush creeping on to her cheeks. I push the cover of the book up gently to see the name.

"Ah, Anything about the house-elves bond in there?" I ask.

"Yes." Harry says, releasing a snitch from his hand and snatching it out the air as it started to fly away. "You were pretty much right, but they don't outright die without a bonded owner, just go insane."

Hermione closes the book. She was frowning.

"I feel bad for trying to free them now." She looks like she is about to cry. "They probably think I'm a monster." She wipes the tears from her eyes, but more keep coming.

I look at Harry and point over to the door. He nods, pulling Hermione into a hug. I quickly exit the library, avoiding any chairs.

"Wotcher, Tonks." I say loudly as I pass through the door.

"Shit." I hear as someone invisible falls over. "How'd you know I was here?" She fades into the visible spectrum.

In truth I could smell her perfume.

"Lucky guess?" I shrug. "Want to do an experiment?" I say as I help her up from the ground. "Should be a broom cupboard around here somewhere." I say absently.

"What kind of experiment is this?" She asks from behind me, I can hear the smirk in her voice.

"Here we are." I push the door open. "Kinda small, less ventilation. Perfect." I turn and look at Tonks, I try and replicate the veela allure. To her it looks like I'm staring at her.

"What are you .. doing?" She whispers the last word. Did it work? Her eyes glaze over and fill with the unmistakeable look of lust. She takes a step closer to me. I didn't really think it would work. Her chest begins to grow. Not helping me get rid of the allure at all. There we go. I close off all my sweat glands.

"Tonks." I tap her on the head. "You in there?" I poke her forehead, this snaps her out of the trance.

"Merlin." She looks at me with wide eyes.

"I've never been called that before." I smirk at her.

"That was way better than Fleur's."

"I suppose it's because you are straight, this one is directly aimed for women." I explain. "Well, a male veela. Not bad." I smile at my own words. "I have to get back now, curfew n'all, I suppose I'll leave you here to … sort yourself out?" I grin at her.

She matches the grin and pushes me towards the door. "Sweet dreams." She whispers in my ear as she closes the door.

I begin a fast walk to the Ravenclaw tower, wouldn't want to be caught out late. My dreamless sleep routine was over quickly as it started. There is a higher year boy sleeping outside my door. I nudge him with my foot.

"Hey buddy, One to many fire whiskeys?" I help him up. "Drink this, give it 10 minutes and you'll be fine." I press a small potion into his hand. He mumbles out a thanks.

I go down to the Great Hall earlier than usual and sit at opposite Harry and Hermione.

"How are you feeling today?" I grab a Gryffindor apple.

She looks at Harry and her cheeks pinken slightly. "Fine thanks."

Fleur appears in a ball of flames beside me.

"Phoenixes are an odd way to travel." Harry says.

"Eet is wonderful!" She clapped happily. "She spent za night in my room. She iz so wonderful!"

"I'd wondered where she had gotten to." I glance up at Freya, who is now sitting on one of the high window ledges. "Too bad we haven't figured out how to transmit images to each other." The side of my mouth twitches up.

"You're here early." Hermione says to me. "You don't usually arrive until later."

"_Tempus_." It is a lot earlier than usual. 31St of October though. I glance up at Harry and grab my goblet. "To Lily and James Potter." It's only pumpkin juice, but the thought is there. It's not going to be nice having people celebrate the fall of a Dark Lord at the cost of your parents. We silently toast with our goblets.

"but whilst we're on the topic of Halloween." I say with smile. "What crazy thing is going to try and kill you this time." I raise my eyebrows at Harry.

"Zack!" Hermione gasps at me. Harry starts to laugh.

"A galleon says You get picked for the Tournament." I grin at him.

"but I didn't even enter!" He says with a lightened mood.

"Exactly!" I latch onto this. "That's why I'm betting on it." I head over to the cup, it lists all names under the schools that have been entered. "Yep, no Harry Potter under Hogwarts."

"Worth losing a galleon for a joke?" Hermione says, trying to hide here smile.

"You'd have called me mad if I said a basilisk would try and eat Harry here in the second year wouldn't you?" She nods, not liking my logic. "How much harder can it be to do this than fight a basilisk?"

"I did that mostly by luck and with Fawkes' help." He shrugs.

"There are twice the amount of phoenixes this time." I point up at Freya. "I'd say that balances the luck."

"Something is different about you this morning." Fleur says whilst staring at me. "I can't quite place it."

"Oh." I grin. "I guess I can show you." I push out my own version of veela allure.

Hermione's hands gripped the edge of the table, her face went red. Fleur looks like she is about to pass out. I rein it back as I notice the rest of the hall looking at me.

"Might have went a bit overboard with that." I smirk.

"A bit?" Fleur all but whispers. "I almost climaxed just by sitting here."

Harry began laughing as he realised what I just did.

"It's not funny." Hermione huffs.

"How about you two show us about?" I gesture to Fleur, who was merely staring at me. "I've only been here a couple of months, so my tour would be of classroom locations."

They agree to show us around. We spend the day exploring the castle and the grounds. We ran into Hagrid near the greenhouses, we had a nice chat before he took his leave, stating he was busy.

It occurred to me then, that if my name gets drawn like it's supposed to, I'm going to be fighting a dragon to get the golden egg. A dragon. With the claws and the flames and the teeth. Dumbledore had said Fawkes makes him more resilient to fire, but how does a dragon stand up to this boost?

* * *

><p><strong>AN: The 'quilling' charm is a play on the word 'quill' like the feathery pen type. Quilling is actualyl an art style using paper, which is not what i emant at all. Enjoy.**


	28. Chapter 28: The Fourth Champion

Chapter 28: The Fourth Champion

I've recently taken to keeping the hyper-sensitive pointed ears, they work better at catching sounds and they look cool. It also means I can hear conversations all around the hall. A few people regret putting their names in the Goblet and hope it doesn't get drawn after we finish eating.

I'm curious as to how it picks the champions. It might read the names and asses the persons magic and mind, maybe it wants to see how much of a show they will put on, it might look into the future and see what would be fun. Maybe it's just random.

"The cup looks ready to make it's decision." Dumbledore says, vaulting over the staff table and walking towards the Goblet of Fire, all eyes watch as it spits out the first name.

"The champion for Dumstrang …." He pauses for suspense. "Is Viktor Krum!" There is a great cheering as Viktor stands up and shakes Dumbledore's hand. He points to the antechamber.

The cup gurgles and spits out another name. Fleur tenses beside me, I put my hand on hers to calm her.

"The champion for Beauxbatons …... is Fleur Delacour!" More cheering and wolf whistles as she walks over to Dumbledore to shake his hand.

The cup flares up again, spurting out the Hogwarts paper.

"The champion for Hogwarts ….. is Zack Jackson!" Polite applause follow my name.

"Barzúl. Maybe next time." I hand Harry a galleon. He grins as he pockets it. I walk over to Dumbledore.

"Congratulations." He says. "Follow the other champions." He waves his hand over to the door. I walk down the steps into the chamber.

"Zack?" Fleur says.

"That's Hogwarts champion to you." I grin at her, she pulls me into a hug.

"At least I don't have to worry about one of the champions." She smirks at me. I shake my head.

"Zack Jackson." I say, offering my hand to Viktor.

"Viktor Krum." He says and shakes my hand firmly. I politely take a seat on the sofa, I'm sure he doesn't want to be stared at more. Harry walks into the room. He flicks the galleon back to me.

"Your shitting me?" I say to him.

"Fourth Champion." He says. "Entered under the name "The Boy-Who-Lived."

"I kind of wish I was wrong about the bet now." I roll the galleon around in my hand and the teachers flood over to us.

"Harry." Dumbledore says calmly. "Did you enter you name?"

"'ow could 'e 'ave?" Fleur says. "Ze paper records all ze names entered!"

Harry looks appreciative at this.

"Perhaps someone has the rules of conduct for a situation such as this?" I offer to the room.

"The rules are absolute." Barty Crouch Sr. says. "If a name is selected by the Goblet of Fire, they must compete in the tournament, lest they wish to die a most slow and painful death." He let that hang in the air. "He is, as of tonight, A tri-wizard champion."

"Well, three people to beat." I say, chuckling slightly. "Makes it more fun, right? Welcome aboard the crazy train, Harry."

Ludo Bagman alone seemed to share in my excitement.

"A fourth Champion!" He claps a few times. "Unprecedented! We will have to work overtime to get this all ready and fair!" He seems excited at the prospect of work. He seems to love what he does.

"If I may make a suggestion." I interject. "We are each allowed a staff member of our school to mentor us, I propose that it cannot be the headmaster of the school. They are judges and it may unbalance the tournament."

"Quite right!" Ludo says. "A simple oath stating that you won't help your champion is anyway will suffice." He pauses for a moment. "Due to the unique nature of Mr. Potters entry, we will allow him to have a Hogwarts member of staff, despite him not being entered under the name of Hogwarts."

After the school heads took the oath, we are asked to pick our staff member.

"Transkov." Viktor says. "Our transfiguration Master."

"Embessi." Fleur pick. "Charms Mistress."

"Professor Moody?" Harry asks him, he grunts and nods. "Er, Defence against the Dark Arts Professor?" Everyone nods and looks at me.

"Argus Filch." I say, It's the hardest thing I've ever done to stop myself from smiling. "Caretaker."

Dumbledore's eyes widened as did the rest of the people who knew of Filch. Ludo spoke up first.

"Are you sure?" He seemed to be holding back a fit of laughter. Harry starts to laugh.

"Absolutely." I say. "I need a mentor that has that razor edged thinking."

"Er, right." Ludo coughs to cover up his laughter. "Well, we have work to do, certain _things _to import an additional one of." He jogs away.

"I need to go and explain to my superiors what has transpired here." Barty Crouch Sr. storms off without another word

"We need to make the announcement for the mentors." Dumbledore says, looking like he is about to lose his lunch. "The press have arrived." Freya appears on my shoulder, much to Kakaroff's surprise.

"Gah!" He jumps about a foot in the air.

"She doesn't bite, sir." I try to placate him. "Well, not often." I rub the top of her head.

"If you would all follow me." Dumbledore says. We return into the Great Hall.

"First of all, I would like to congratulate each of out champions." There is a polite applause. "Mr. Potter did not enter the tournament. I cannot stress this enough." He goes on to explain the recording process. The press takes many pictures, they seem to be inflating Freya's ego ever more.

"You'd think they've never seen a phoenix before." I mutter to Harry.

"Fawkes doesn't strike me as the type to be in public often." He whispers back.

True enough, the old bird has probably had enough of the press after being with Dumbledore for almost 5 decades.

"Each Champion picked a member of their schools staff to act as their mentor for the tournament." He motions to Viktor. "Mr. Krum has chosen Master Transkov as his mentor."

The muscle-bound man stood and stood behind Viktor.

"Ms. Delacour has asked Madam Embessi to be her guide." A pretty red-headed witch walk up the hall and stood beside Fleur.

"Mr. Potter has chosen our own Professor Moody." He waves his hand as Moody puts a steady hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Mr. Jackson has picked … Argus Filch."

Silence.

The only noise in the room was my mouth breaking into a grin.

Filch hobbled over to me from the corner of the hall. Mrs. Norris in tow.

"The champions are excluded from their lessons if they so wish and will not be confined to the curfew in order to prepare for the tasks." He sat down in his chair as the students broke into conversation. I lean over to Filch.

"You get a nice boost in your pay for doing this." I said to him quietly before walking over to the Gryffindor table, I sit opposite Hermione.

"I hate being right all the time." I say, rolling the galleon across my knuckles.

Harry sits down beside Hermione, Fleur sits on my right. Ron was looking sourly at us.

"Busy year ahead of us then." I say with a grin. "I wonder what the first task will be, these things usually have three." I pull out my book on the tournament.

"It might follow a pattern." Hermione says as she snatches my book away. "The first task usually involves a magical creature.

"Got my own on my shoulder here." I say. "Maybe a Cerberus?" I offer.

"I've had enough of those for one life." Harry says, putting his head on the table.

"I'm going off to bed now." I say. "Maybe a nice lay in because I don't have to get up. I think I will still turn up for runes, might be useful."

"You really shouldn't skip lessons just because you can." Hermione chides me.

"You're not really fitting the Ravenclaw mindset well." Harry points out.

"Hermione doesn't fit the Gryffindor one too well either." I shoot back with a smile. I stand up and leave the hall, aware of the eyes on me.

"Evenin' Tonksie." I say as I walk past a statue.

"One day I'll figure out how you do that." She grumbles, matching my pace. "Tri-wizard champion, eh?"

"Yup, I almost feel bad for the others."

"Why's that?" She glances at me.

"I'm going to whoop there arses." I break into a smile.

"A bit cocky there, don'tcha think?" She grins at me, I know it as my own, no normal human can spread their mouths like we can.

"As long as there is nothing involving brooms." I say. "Krum is famous for his flying and Harry is no slouch either."

"Why did you pick Filch?" She blurts out, barely holding her laughter in.

"I thought it'd be a good laugh."

She starts laughing, and has to sit down and lean against the wall holding her sides. I join her on the floor.

"I was going to try and get the sorting hat, but it's not on the staff list sadly."

"Filch was the next best choice after the hat?" She managed to wheeze out.

"Of course. Besides, The rules only say I can't get help from Dumbledore. Anyone else can help me."

We chatted for a while, it started to get dark soon.

"You don't have to listen to the curfew any more right?"

"Just this year, why?" I look over at her.

"We could go out to Hogsmeade. I'm not on duty tonight."

"Oh, is this going to be a date?" I smirk at her.

"Play your cards right and there might be a second date too." She grins at me as we stand up, we stroll through the castle.

"The press will probably follow us y'know." I point out to her.

"Use that big head of yours, We can look like anyone. No one will know." She turns into a much younger version of herself.

"Won't a couple of kids look suspicious?" I turn into an older version of myself. She runs her eyes appreciatively over me.

"Yes." She transforms into a different person. Very similar to Red, the devils handmaiden. "Better?"

"Oh yes." We walk through the gates and Kingsley is sitting on a bench. "Good evening officer." I say to him. Tonks giggles.

"I know it's you, Tonks." He says. "The two of you are about the least inconspicuous people on the planet."

"Hey!" She almost seems affronted. "I thought I was doing pretty well." She looks at me. "You didn't even change your face much." She squints. Why are there no torches outside?

"Fine." I change again. "It's too bad colourful hair would stand out."

"Just try not to blow up the Three Broomsticks whilst your down there." Kingsley says to us.

"Aye-Aye Captain." I salute him. We start down the beaten track to Hogsmeade.

"I'd probably have been fired if I tried that on duty." She said after laughing for a while.

"Do you think the salute was to much?" She cackles madly at this, I have to catch her as she trips on a non-existing branch.

"Our balance is bad enough in a well lit area, let alone in this darkness." She grumbles.

"If only we had some sort of power that enabled us to conjure light." I sigh. "Us poor muggles." I say dramatically.

"Alright, alright. I get the idea." She pulls out her wand and lights the path before us. We reach Hogsmeade a minute later.

"Here we are." She announces. "The Three Broomsticks." She pushes the door open.

It's almost like a larger Leaky Cauldron.

"Evenin' Rosmerta." Tonks greets her.

"Heya Tonks." She pulls her into a hug.

"How did you know it was me?" She whines.

"You're the only person that wears combat boots." She points at Tonks' feet, then looks at mine. "This must be the _other _metamorph then." She smiles at me sultrily. "I just finished my shift, maybe we can all get a drink?" I swallow hard.

Drinking with Rosmerta and Tonks? What could possibly go wrong?

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><p><strong>AN: Filch is going to rock the world ... slightly. Heavy drinking couldn't possibly end badly, right?**


	29. Chapter 29: The Filches

**A/N: I got a comment regarding the amount of money Zack is given for his scholarship. I'll use the Weasleys as an example. Arthur Weasley is head of one of the most important departments for keeping the stature of secrecy. Making sure that muggles don't get there hands on magical items. Arthur must get paid a boat load of cash, he is an important man and as probably single-handedly helped hide wizards from the muggles many times. So, Picture Hogwarts. One of the most, if the _the _most premier wizarding school in the world. The tuition fees will cost a shit load. Now imagine trying to send your 7 children through this expensive school, Is it any wonder that they struggle for money? **

**Thanks for the comment though, i appreciate the input! 3 Enjoy!**

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><p>Chapter 29: The Filches<p>

I blink my eyes as I begin to wake up. So bright. I try to bring my hand up to cover my eyes, but it's trapped under something. Thankfully my right hand is free to shield my eyes.

After another minute of squinting, my pupils constrict enough to actually see where I am. It's a wooden room. There is a light and a very big window. I'm not sure how I got here, nor where here is.

The last thing I remember was lots of drinking. It's blurry but I think Tonks convinced me to show Rosmerta my "allure". That can't have gone well.

I hear breathing to my left, rotating my neck is a chore. Rosmerta, or should I say a very naked Rosmerta I currently asleep on my left arm. I panic slightly and look to my right. An equally naked and asleep Tonks.

I don't know what I did to deserve this, but I'm glad I did it.

I slowly begin extracting my arm from beneath Rosmerta, I tricky task, but I manage to get free and off the bed without waking them. I put some clothes on whilst trying to piece together what happened the night before. Drinking. Lot's of drinking. My allure, followed by more shots of firewhiskey, it's goes blank after that.

Tonks rolls over, looking for the cause of the lack of heat, she pulls Rosmerta close to her. I find my wand inside one of my boots as I put it on. I wipe the residue off, telling myself that it's only some sort of alcohol. I head downstairs to get breakfast.

"Mornin' Zack." The barman grins at me. I don't know his name.

"Er, Morning." I offer him a smile. "Breakfast for … five I suppose." Knowing that Tonks probably eats the same amount that I do.

"Already got em ready, you paid for them last night." His grin is plastered on his face.

"Er, thanks." I take the tray and head back up the stairs to our room. Room 666 of the Three Broomsticks. Apparently we were tempted last night and lord did we sin. I push the door open.

"Rise and shine, girls." I call to them as the table rises out of the ground. They grumble and roll around for a minute. "I brought food." That got Tonks' attention. She crawls over Rosmerta and sits at the small table. "Apparently we ordered all this last night." I motion to the food.

"Forward thinking." Tonks grins. "Do you remember anything?" She asks after a minute.

"Drinking. A distinct lack of clothes. That's about it, I'm sure it'll come back." I tap the side of my head and begin eating again.

"Lot's of drinking." Rosmerta laughs as she joins us for breakfast. "It's really hard to get metamorphs drunk. You two drank at least 5 times what I did, and I drank _a lot_."

"I remember most of the drinking." Tonks says.

"After we started getting barrels it gets a bit hazy." I added.

"Metamorphs are apparently tougher than us normal folk." Rosmerta laughs again. "Hell, If Tonks wasn't here to wear you out, we'd still be going at now. You have insane stamina."

A grin covers my face as I begin to remember parts of the night.

"This is really good." Tonks says. "How did we pay for this? I know my paycheck wouldn't cover what we drank." She looks at Rosmerta. She shrugs.

"I don't have to pay for food or drinks because I work here. My pay isn't super high."

"Maybe we could take advantage of that again some time." I don't think I'll ever stop smiling now. "I should probably be getting back to school, I don't think even being a champion exempts me from actually staying on the grounds." I get up and put my boots on. "I'll leave you two to cool off."

"Cool off?" Tonks says.

I burst the room full of my allure and quickly exit before I get dragged back in.

"See ya, er, Michael was it?" I say to the barman as I left.

"I see you remember last night then." He says, grinning at me.

I wave at him as I leave and head back to Hogwarts.

The doors to the Great Hall are shut. I love doing this. I pull my wand out and cast the sonorous charm, I then push the doors open as hard as I can. The bang was satisfying, but nothing could top my grin. I sit down opposite Harry and Hermione at the Gryffindor table.

"What are you so happy about?" Hermione asks me with an arched eyebrow.

"Life, Mr dear Hermione, Is a fantastic thing." She looked like she wanted to question it, Fred and George swoop in and sit either side of Hermione.

"This, Hermione." Fred starts, pointing at my face. "Is the face of a very happy man."

"And it seems that our Hogwarts champion is now a man," George says.

Hermione blushes slightly whilst shaking her head.

"I don't know what makes me a man, but if it's going by your rules, then I am two men now." I enjoy their shocked expressions. Fleur enters the hall and sits beside me.

"Bonjour." She says simply, rubbing her eyes. She stops suddenly and sniffs the air. She looks straight at me and grins.

"Someone 'as been a naughty boy." She leans closer and sniffs again. "Oui. _Very _naughty. Does the other one know?" She smirks at me.

"I'm sure they couldn't miss the other in the room."

Her eyes widen slightly before returning to normal.

"Both at ze same time?" She arches an elegant eyebrow.

"A gentleman never tells." I grin at her. "I should probably go and see Filch soon."

"Why did you bother coming to breakfast for 2 minutes?" Harry asks me.

"To gloat." I get up and head for Filch's office. Quite a sturdy door on it. I knock thrice and wait.

"Come in." I hear his voice. I push the door open.

"Morning Mr. Filch." I say, taking a seat.

"Just Argus."

"Morning, Argus." I amend.

He stares at me for a long time.

"Tell me, Zack. Do you know what happens when the killing curse hits a witch or wizard?"

"To my knowledge it stops the heart, killing the person swiftly. Maybe something speed up the brain dying, but when the heart stops the wizards soul starts to depart."

"Adequate." He says and watches me for a while again. "Do you know much about the animagus transformation?" Where did this Filch come from?

"I think you have an animal locked in your mind somehow, I've not read up on it. Sorry."

"It's alright." He chuckles. "When an animagus is struck by the killing curse in their human form, the heart stops. There is a rare type of animagus that doesn't use direct transfiguration to transform." He lets that hang for a second. "They hold the body of your animal in a pocket dimension, and your consciousness and soul transfer between the two. Not all animagi are like this bare in mind. Almost all of them change their body via transfiguration. My daughter did not fit into the normal group. No, she stored her form away in stasis for when she wanted to use it. When Grindlewald struck her dead with a killing curse, she transferred her soul and mind into her only living body. Her cat animagus form."

Mrs. Norris makes a noise from the side of the room. I look at her.

"Your daughter?" I ask.

Argus nods. "Janet Filch."

I don't even know what's going on any more.

"Dumbledore is the only person alive, besides Grindlewald, that knows the truth."

"Ain't that something." I let out a low whistle.

"Why did you choose me?" He asks.

"I figured you would be the best man to torment the press. They would have to listen to you if you are my mentor."

He grins at this. "I wouldn't mind tearing that Skeeter bints fingers off." He looks positively delighted at the thought.

"I'll leave the press to you." I stand up. "If I need anything, I'll let you know. Oh, maybe a library pass for the restricted section?"

He quickly writes out a note and sends me away.

I was wandering through the castle when I came across Dumbledore in an outside place I'd never seen before.

"Good afternoon, sir." I say to him.

"Ah! It's unusual for me to see anyone else here." He looks at me over his glasses. "I trust you visit to Argus went well?"

"The man has been through a lot, but of course you already know that."

"Yes." He says sadly. "Truly horrific what happened to his family. Sadly his wife did not have the safeguard as young Janet."

"I was looking for the library." I tell him. "I figure runes might help me in the tournament. Perhaps a restricted books or two might hold something of value on other subjects."

"Door _mice_ tend to find their way through doors, cabinets tend _pop _open." He says with twinkling eyes. "Have a good day." He gets up and leaves. Was that a way around his oaths?

What to do on a Sunday? I think the carts leave for Hogsmeade in about 10 minutes, maybe I can get there if I leave now. I set off at a brisk pace. Ice mice for the door and blood pops for a cabinet?

I'm apparently on the list for Hogsmeade, as McGonagall let's me on the cart. Harry and Hermione are inside, along with Kingsley Shacklebolt.

"Wotcher." I say as I take a seat beside him. "Stuck on carts, Shack?"

"You are eerily similar to Tonks." He looks at my boot and shakes his head. "I'm the bodyguard for 'Champion Potter'. Yours went ahead to Hogsmeade as they knew you'd head there today."

"Who do I have?" I ask him.

He shrugs. "I can only guess."

"How'd it go with Filch?" Harry asks with a barely suppressed smile.

"He's different to how I thought he'd be." I pause, It's not really my story to tell. "The man's been through a lot, but I reckon he'll have fun with the press." I grin at this.

"I'd almost feel sorry for them, but they did make me out to be the heir of Slytherin a couple of years ago."

"You probably are." He look affronted as I say this. "The wizarding community is so backwards here I wouldn't be surprised if they had a stupid archaic system like "Right of Conquest" If you beat someone you that tried to kill you after, y'know attacking your family." I try and put it softly. I figure he's not the type to get offended by it.

"Heir of Slytherin, eh?" His eyes sparkle at this. Hermione groans.

"Know anything about it, Shack?" I ask the Auror.

"The Shacklebolt family is from Northern Africa." He explains. "The laws are very different there. If you end a wizarding line you get almost everything they own, and as the word _wizard_is specified, you don't have to kill the women, they come along with the spoils." He say with a frown.

"That's barbaric!" Hermione pipes up.

"To some it may seem that way." Kingsley counters. "But it is how the culture is."

"What are the laws about flying carpets in Africa? Is it the same all over?" I ask.

"Britain and Northern America are the only 'big' countries to not allow flying carpets. Perhaps they will do away with those laws in the future." He shrugs as the cart stops. He looks at Harry. "If you stay in the open streets I can be further away from you, I won't interrupt your … date." He grins at Harry, who grins back.

"Stay out in the open, gotcha." He replies.

Hermione, who had left the cart before this was said, stick her head back in. "I'll be in the bookshop."

I exit the cart along with the other two.

"Wotcher." I hear Tonks say from beside me.

"Ah, my very own bodyguard." I throw my arm around her shoulders. "I'm going to get some books, then I'll go get some food and maybe a drink at the Three Broomsticks." She smiles evilly at me.


	30. Chapter 30: Wand Weighing

Chapter 30: Wand Weighing

I'd gotten a runes book from the Flourish and Blotts Hogsmeade branch. Might be helpful in some way, I also grabbed a book about enchanting, It's just theory. I won't be learning anything practical from it.

I find myself, once again, in the Three Broomsticks, with Tonks and Rosmerta. Clothed.

"So the book says the first task is a magical creature?" Tonks asks me.

"It's traditional for it to be one." I reply, taking a sip of butterbeer. "I figure it won't be something small, The tickets are not cheap for this thing. They want a show. Explosions, fireworks. That sort of thing."

"Flobber worms are out then." Rosmerta write it under the 'unlikely' list. Now it has 'basilisk' and 'flobber worm'.

"Get us to ride a hippogriff maybe? Distract a nundu with a ball of yarn?" Tonks snorts at this.

"I think you can put nundu on the 'unlikely' side." Tonks says.

"I'm going back to the library now. Might find something useful against flobber worms." I say, putting a galleon on the table for the food. "Maybe we can come back another night." Rosmerta seems excited at the prospect. "Come now, my dear bodyguard, to the library!" Tonks groans at trudges along beside me.

We get into a cart that was just about to leave.

"Hello Zack Jackson." I hear a dreamy voice say. I didn't even notice someone else was here. I look up and see Luna Lovegood sitting opposite me in a furry coat.

"Luna isn't it?" I ask. "I think I've seen you around the tower."

"I have seen you sleeping in the corridors in the tower." She says to me. It's probably true, I sometimes lay down and fall asleep. "Luna Lovegood."

"A pleasure." I offer her a smile. "Any relation to Xeno and Pandora Lovegood?"

She brightens at this. "My parents." She smiles at me.

I see Tonks looking confused.

"We used to get the Quibbler down in London." I look back to Luna. "The tournament almost always has a magical creature as the first task. Any idea what the Ministry might have brought in around this time of year?"

The ride back to Hogwarts consisted completely of Luna telling me about various animals and their sleeping habits. Also a few bits about how I might go around putting them to sleep whilst retaining my ability to whistle and wear clothes at the same time.

Tonks and I head for the library after Luna hopped out of the cart.

"You again." Pince says as I walk up to her desk.

"Me." I grin. "I've got a pass for the restricted section." I hand her the paper that Filch signed. She looks over it for a few minutes.

"Very well." I nod at her. She isn't the most friendly person.

"Restricted section pass? How'dya get that?" Tonks asks.

"Filch was kind enough to fill one out for me." I push the door open. "Right, enchanting and alchemy." I stroll through the completely unlit section with cat eyes.

"Enchanted underwear?" Tonks says after picking a book up.

"Maybe another time, Tonksie." I say without look away from the books. Some of these books are about the dark arts. Probably shouldn't be in a school library.

We continue to search, or I search and Tonks lays on the floor, table or bookshelf in an attempt to distract me.

"Enchanting for acolytes." I read the name from a red book. "I don't know if I fall under the acolyte group, but I'm sure it'll be useful."

I sit on the floor and begin to read it. I absently note Tonks trying to get my attention from beside me.

Enchanting requires ingredients. Different materials yield different effects, There isn't a list of them unfortunately, it seems to differ slightly for each witch or wizard. Most enchants require a steady flow of magic to keep the enchants active. The most common way of keeping them active is to add an effect that draws on the ambient magic, It's good enough for long term things, but with active effects you need something more direct and plentiful. The only example the books give is a sword that sets ablaze sapping from the users core directly.

"Materials." I mutter to myself. Maybe a feather from Freya or some of her ashes might be good for experimenting with. They will probably yield fiery effects, which is fine for me as I'm a bit more resilient to any mishaps. I could check Dumbledore's office, see if he has anything. "Tonks." I poke her stomach, she's fallen asleep. "Nym." I poke her stomach again.

"mrmrmrm" She starts to wake up.

"Come on, we're going to break some rules, possibly laws." I tell her.

"I'm an Auror, we can't." She protests.

"You're a bodyguard right now." I lead her towards Dumbledore's office. It's midnight, so he'll be asleep.

"Uh, Cockroach cluster?" The gargoyle doesn't move. "Ice mice?" It spins open.

"Zack" Tonks hisses. "This is terrible idea."

"That's why we're doing it." I smirk.

Dumbledore's office is strange at night, the lights are out but the instruments are still whirring away merrily. I approach his bookcase.

"If you were Dumbledore, what would you set a password to for your books?"

"What?" She says. "I don't know, probably something sweet?"

"Tonks." I say with a smirk. "Doesn't look like you're sweet enough."

She slaps my arm. "Hurry so we can get out of here."

"Fizzing whizbee?" I feel silly talking to a cabinet. "Chocolate frog. Lemon drop. Blood pops." The door wings open. "Bingo."

I quickly read through the names, nothing too important in here, but this looks promising. I pull out a slim pink book. 'Alchemy' by Nicolas Flamel and Albus Dumbledore. Did he mean to let me find this?

"OK, we can go." I whisper to Tonks. We quickly head out of his office. "Why were we whispering? His sleeping quarters are no where near here."

"We'd have looked goofy if we didn't whisper." She says.

"I'm going to read this." I pat the book. "I guess I'll see you at breakfast?"

"What am I supposed to do until then? I slept in the library." She huffs.

"Maybe Rosmerta isn't busy." I say as I disappear through the Ravenclaw tower entrance.

The common room is empty, I lay down on one of the sofas and start to read the alchemy book.

Alchemy is simple. Difficult to do, but it's simple. Alchemy is the art of equivalent exchange. Unlike most magicks where you bend the laws of nature using your own core, You must give something of equal value to what you are trying to achieve. I think if you use alchemy with enchanting or runes you could pull off some pretty crazy stuff. I continue to read until I fall asleep.

"Hey champion." I'm woken up by a female voice and giggling. This can't be good, I open up one eye. "Awake now?" Cho Chang asks me.

"Very much so." I sit up, noting the alchemy book is magically sealed shut and the cover is clear, possibly to stop others from reading it over my shoulder.

"We're late for breakfast." I notice the use of "we" so I thank her and head off, quickly.

The next couple of weeks pass quickly, lots of reading and experimenting with enchanting.

I'm sitting at the Gryffindor table with Harry and Hermione, who are now pariahs in the school, for cheating evidently. A small disk drops infront of me.

"Support Zack, The real Hogwarts champion." I read aloud. The badge morphs. "Potter stinks. Huh, that's not very kind is it." I pass it to Harry.

"They got my good side on the badge." He says holding his face in the same way as the badge.

"Like them, Potter?" I hear Draco say. "Made them myself." He gloats. I'm not sure he even realises that he is supporting me, maybe he just hates Harry that much.

"A truly masterful work of charms, Malfoy." Hermione says as we walk past him out of the Great Hall.

"Think you're funny do you, Mudblood?" He sneers, Crabbe and Goyle are apparently trained to laugh whenever he says mudblood.

Harry's wand snaps up and knocks Crabbe and Goyle over in less than a second, Draco draws his wand and they start trading spells.

"Riveting stuff, Eh Herms?" I joke. "Fighting for your honour n'all that."

"Don't just stand there! Do something!" She says.

"Fine." I sigh. I debate stunning Harry as a joke, but it's probably not a good idea. As I draw my wand, Harry dodges one of Draco's spells. The tooth growing hex. Time seems to slow down as it flies past Harry and towards me head. I figure that some events are bound to happen, so I move my head an inch to the left, letting it fly past me. I whip out my wand and cause Draco to slam into the wall behind him. Hermione lets out a shriek as the hex hits her.

I turn and see her teeth already three times the size, I grab her hand and then Harry's forearm as Freya lands on my shoulder. No students are around to see Hermione thankfully. We reappear in the hospital wing, Freya sings out as we land.

"Albus!" I hear Madam Pomfrey shriek. She comes running round the corner with a big box, she sags in relief when she sees us. "Thank Merlin it's only you. Come along dear." She leads Hermione behind a curtain.

"Only us?" Harry asks me. I shrug.

Madam Pomfrey reappears. "It will take a minute for the hex to wear off with the counter charm." She explain to Harry.

"Why did you scream 'Albus' as we entered?" I ask her curiously.

She looks at me with a frown for a while.

"17." She says. "The number of times that Fawkes has flashed in a broken, burnt, cursed, crippled body of Albus Dumbledore." She sighs. "He is the only man that would ever enter here using a phoenix, as until a few months ago, he was one of the only men that was bonded with a phoenix." She explains.

"Oh, and you heard Freya and thought Professor Dumbledore had been hurt?" Harry asks.

"Exactly." She says, going back behind the curtain again. Hermione follows her out, grinning all the way. Her teeth are smaller than before the hex.

"We should probably get going for the wand weighing now." I chip in. "Up for another ride on the Freya-express?" I grin at their pale faces as I grab them. We burst into flames and reappear outside the Great Hall.

"Ah, The next two champions! Just Mr. Krum now/" Ludo Bagman says happily as we enter.

"Afternoon Mr. Bagman." I wave to him.

"Just Ludo m'boy!" I playfully swaps my arm. I hop back.

"Still got the beater muscles there." I joke. I don't even know why I'm buttering him up.

He flexes his arms. "I still keep up on my practice." He wanders off to talk to Barty Crouch.

"How are you today, Fleur?" I ask the French veela.

"Very good." She smiles at me, she looks nervous.

"Ah! We are all here now." Ludo says.

"This is the traditional wand weighing ceremony." Dumbledore says. "It is to check that the champions wand are in working order." He waves his hand to Ollivander. "This is Garrick Ollivander, our resident wand maker. He will be surveying your wands today."

Ollivander offers a wave. "Who's first?"

"I vill go." Viktor say, handing his wand to the old man.

"Ah, one of Gregorovitches creations." He turns it over in his hands. "10 and a quarter inches, Hornbeam. Do I detect dragon heartstring?" Viktor nods. "Very powerful. In perfect working order." He hands the wand back, handle first. "Next?"

Fleur steps forward and gives Ollivander her wand. He holds it to his ear and inspects it closely.

"9 and a half inches, Rose wood." His eyes widen. "and dear me."

"An 'air from my Grandmuzzer." She says proudly.

"Veela hair core. I've never been able to design a wand to work with such a core. It is very special. Thank you." He hands it back.

"Next?" His eyes fall on me, he frowns slightly.

I step forward, reversing my grip on my wand, holding it out to him. He carefully takes it, holding it like it might disappear if he touches it.

"Walnut, 13 inches exactly. A phoenix feather core." He looks very closely at, his eyes glowing slightly. "I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Jackson. But also every wand I've not sold." He spins it in his fingers again. "It is in perfect condition, and I must say it is a pleasure to meet the phoenix that donated the feather for the wand." He bows to Freya.

What? So sort of wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff no doubt.

"and out last champion." Harry hands his wand over. "Phoenix feather core. 11 inches, Holly wood. I've scarcely seen such a well matched wand in all my years. Could do with a bit of a polish." He hands it back.

"Wonderful!" Ludo says.

Rita Skeeter enters the room.

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><p><strong>AN: Bit of longer chapter, the wand weighing was a bit more wordy than anticipated. Enjoy.**


	31. Chapter 31: The First Task

Chapter 31: The First Task

"Rita Skeeter. Daily Prophet." She says with a feral smile. "How about an interview?"

"Ah, Ms. Skeeter." I say grinning at her. "Perhaps you have heard of my mentor, Mr. Filch." Her smile drops and seems to arrive on Filch's face. "He will be handling any questions you have." I push her over to him, they leave the room.

"I don't think I can find it within myself to berate you for you action." Dumbledore says with a smile. Hermione seems happy that Skeeter won't be able to ridicule Harry further.

"Worst case scenario, she moans about me and my choice of mentor." I shrug. I cast a tempus charm. "Almost time for dinner." I look around the room, noticing the lack of tables. It can't be easy to remove those heavy, spell resistant tables.

Dumbledore pulls out the elder wand. "If you would vacate the spaces where the tables usually are." He instructs us, before waving his wand, conjuring up four large tables.

"Woah." Escapes my lips. Even some of the most skilled transfiguration masters would struggle to conjure even one of these tables. Sure, Dumbledore is the most skilled transfiguration master in centuries as well as one of the most powerful wizards in living memory, but doing all four tables at once shows just how much more stronger he is than anyone else.

"I'm sure the house elves have prepared an excellent meal for us." Dumbledore turns to Barty and Ludo. "You are more than welcome to join us." He motions to the staff table.

"Thank you, but we must be off." Barty says. "Preparations to be made." They leave as the students begin to arrive. Fleur and I sit opposite Harry and Hermione on the Gryffindor table.

"I reckon the magical creature might be a hippogriff or something like that." I say to the others.

"Can't be any harder than a basilisk." Harry says.

"Maybe it'll be something that's scared of phoenixes." I feed Freya some cherries. "I think Ron is glaring at you."

"He's still mad that Harry got into the tournament without even entering." She scowls at Ron. "He of all people should know that Harry wouldn't enter." She begins to eat potatoes angrily.

"I've got Runes after dinner, I'm getting there early. Still got catching up to do." I bid farewell to them and head to Professor Babbling's room.

Runes has been an incredible lesson. The simplest way I can explain it is like muggle computer programming. The hardest part is learning all the runes, it is another language after all. There are also various runic languages, so they act almost like coding languages. You just need to learn how to write them out to get the desired effect. In theory, any spell can be recreated using runes, but that's where arithmancy come into play, deconstructing spells.

Unfortunately, because these are wizards, they don't teach it like muggle programming. When I tried to explain it to Babbling, well she didn't understand it at all. As long as I treat it in my mind like programming, it's a hell of a lot easier.

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><p>The task is in two days, I still don't know how I'm going to deal with the dragon. I overheard Hagrid asking Harry to visit him tonight, hopefully he can learn Accio well enough in a day.<p>

The next morning, Harry stops me as I enter the Great Hall for breakfast.

"Dragons." He says.

"What?"

"Dragons, it's the first task. They've got one for each of us in the forest."

We sit down next to Fleur. "Dragons?" I ask her.

"I found out last night." She says.

"Barzúl." I curse. The reality of fighting a dragon is starting to set in. "Any idea what you're going to do?" I ask them.

"Out fly the dragon." Harry says with a grin.

"Sing to it." Fleur says.

I put my forehead against the table. "I'm going to die." I grumble, summoning a candle down from the ceiling. "I can withstand a lot of fire." I demonstrate my holding my hand on top of the flame. Hermione squeaks. "I don't know how dragonfire compares to a candle. I don't think Freya can't flash a whole dragon away either." I groan again. "Wake me up for breakfast." I head off to the tower.

Knocking wakes me up the next morning. I open the door to reveal a concerned Tonks.

"Ready?" She asks.

"Not at all. I have the duration of breakfast to think of something." We walk to breakfast.

It would be useless to enchant clothing to withstand fire, my face would melt. The golden egg is probably charmed against Freya being able to take it. Maybe alchemy could help. I eat some toast.

"Any ideas?" Hermione asks me.

"Throw it's fire back in it's mouth?" I say. "That's not a back concept actually. That's perfect in fact." I overturn my plate and start scribing runes into it.

Alchemy. Equivalent exchange. If I make this plate into the base for the runes I can get it to form a bubble around me, normally I'd have to enchant this, but if I tell the runes to supercharge the shield at the cost of heat, I can use the dragonfire to fuel a shield against itself.

"Let's say forty degrees." I murmur, Hermione is watching the runes appear with rapt attention, I don't really know if this will work, nor exactly what I'm doing so I doubt she does either.

Any heat around the plate that is above 40 Celsius will be used to power the shield. This way it won't eat away my body heat. The dragonfire won't be able to reach me.

"Ignis Aegis." I say proudly, holding up the metal dinner plate.

Hermione mumble for a second. "Fire shield?" Her eyes widen. "No, it won't work."

"_Tempus_." I say. 15 minutes until the task. "Shame, the task is in 15 minutes, let's go champions!" I say, feeling more confident about the chances of my survival. I keep checking over the runes and ignoring Hermione on the way to the Quidditch pitch. Hermione is chased out of the champions tent after hugging Harry.

"Gather round, gather round." Ludo says. "Your task is simple. Retrieve the golden egg." He watches us for a moment. "The egg is in the nest of a dragon. Reach into this bag to pick the orders."

Krum gets the Norwegian Ridgeback.

Fleur gets the Welsh Green.

I get the Chinese Fireball.

Harry gets the Hungarian Horntail.

"Excellent! Mr. Krum, if you would." He points to the door.

There are a few minutes of shouting and cheering before a short man comes in and asks for Fleur.

"Good luck." I say as I pull her into a hug.

"Just me and you now kid." I say to Harry.

"We're the same age." He says dryly.

"Semantics." I wave my hands.

The cheering gets louder, Fleur has finished.

"Jackson." The short man says as he comes in. I follow him out.

"And now, The champion of Hogwarts! Zaaaack Jaaaacksooon!" I hear Ludo shout over the cheering crowds.

"_Accio breakfast plate._" I say, my voice is amplified for the crowd. The dragon snarls at me, as I take a step forward. It's long and red, with great big scaly wings. I see why they call it a fireball. It takes a breath and spits fire at me. I lurch out of the way, feeling the heat from a few metres away.

"Come on you stupid plate." I mumble, but it comes out loudly.

"Looks like our champion is looking for is breakfast." Ludo booms across the crowds.

There is a flicker of silver as my plate flies over the crowd.

"The show must go on." I say as I walk out from behind my rock, plate held high. Please work Mr. Plate. I walk towards the dragon. It looks like it is smirking at me, thinking its won.

"Such a fearless act will surely not end well!" Ludo shouts.

The dragon breaths in huge amounts of air. I once heard that dragonfire isn't so dissimilar from fiendfyre. It unleashes the torrent of flames onto me. I close my eyes out of habit.

A few seconds past and I notice I'm still alive, flames blowing past me, the runes on my plate are glowing.

"Oh, what a sickening end for the champion." Ludo says.

"I'm not done yet." I call out, the crowd gasps. The flames stop, the dragon looks surprised to see me. Taking advantage of the dragon being stunned, I dart forward and grab the egg. It's tail flicks towards me, I make my bones thin. Almost too weak to support themselves, then I add muscles to my legs and jump as high as I can, It's a shame I can't sprout wings very fast any more. I tear off my shirt, If it's a show they want, it's a show they'll get.

I focus on pushing wings out of my back as I land of the dragons back, It begins to roar and spew flames across it's body, my plate is holding up fine. The basic shape of the wings is done now, I have to focus on jumping and dodging the enraged dragons tail, the fire isn't really a problem now. The wings are soon done, I begin to grow bigger for effect. Holding the egg in one hand and the plate in the other. The crowd are screaming their heads off.

I walk up onto the dragons head. "Are you not entertained?!"

I shout spreading my arms wide. The crowds begin screaming louder. This enrages the dragon further. I leap from it's head and flap my wings. This is the first time I've tried this so I didn't think it through, the plate is sucking all the heat from the air, so I can't catch any thermal updraught's, so the best I can do it twirl in the air, avoiding the claws and the tail.

I land on the ground a bit harder than I had intended and pulled my wings back into my body, much, much easier to get rid of. I let another bout of flames wash over me for effect whilst taking a bow before running out of the arena.

I woop and thrust a fist into the air as the dragon team runs in to subdue it. "Go to the medical tent." One of them says as they go past. I score 46 points, Kakaroff only give me 6.

I throw the plate like a frisbee into the champions tent, maybe Harry can summon it if he is about to die. I go to the medical tent.

I can see Krum sitting on a bed holding his head, one arm covered in bandages, but looking quite pleased with himself. Fleur is laying on her front, the dragonfire looks like it caught most of the left side of her body.

"Mr. Jackson. Are you harmed?" Madam Pomfrey asks.

"Nope. Takes a bit more than several minutes of dragonfire to melt me." She waves her wand over me.

"How?" She looks confused.

"Can I have a glass of water? I'm a bit dehydrated." She wanders off, shaking her head. "You awake Fleur?"

"Oui." She says quietly.

I sit on the chair beside her bed, she tries to cover her face.

"Don't look at me, I'm burned." She says.

"Fleur, you silly, silly girl." I laugh softly. "You forget who you made friends with." Freya walks in through the tent door. She is at the end of her life, flying and flashing take effort. I pick her up and place her on Fleur's bed. "Try not to move too much, Fleur. She's going to die soon." Fleur nods slightly. Freya begins to cry onto the burns. "Amazing things phoenixes are." I push Fleur's newly grown hair behind her ear and conjure a mirror.

Freya bursts into flames, leaving a small chick in a pile of ashes. "_Thank you._" I say to her.

She merely nods her head and falls asleep.

"Viktor." I call out whilst picking up the ashes. "Our potions master should be able to whip up some excellent burn salve with this. Sorry about the lack of phoenix tears, but as you can see she just died." I put the ashes into a bag and hand them to Madam Pomfrey.

"It iz too much." He says, shaking his head. "Thees arm will heel on its own."

"The skin might be tight and the joint might be screwed up if it heals naturally." His eyes widen a bit. "Can't have a bad arm and be a seeker now, can you?" I grin at him. "Besides, It'll be no fun beating you in this when you only have one arm."

He grins at me. "Not a chance."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Be a good sport.**


	32. Chapter 32: The Yule Ball

Chapter 32: The Yule Ball

Snape seemed excited when Viktor and I went to see him about brewing the burn salve.

"Ironically, this has to be applied hot, So stay here whilst I brew it to save reheating it." So we watched the master at work, I chatted to Viktor about Durmstrang whilst Snape brewed. He is actually a nice guy, His English is a bit choppy, but it's mainly in accent holding it back. He was more vocal when we spoke about Quidditch of course. Once Snape finished brewing and applying the salve, they both thanked me, Krum for keeping his arm in good knick and Snape for letting him do something challenging for once.

A couple of weeks later, Skeeter came back in full swing about Hagrid being a half-giant. The board were talking about not wanting a savage teaching their children, but when they actually took a step back and looked at Hagrid, they realised that he was one of the gentlest men in Britain.

All the champions were called together along with heads of houses, champion 'bodyguards' and close friends. Quite a few people really.

"Welcome, welcome." Dumbledore says. "As is tradition during the Tri-wizard tournament, We will be hosting a Yule Ball on December 25th." Oh. "The champions are required to attend and will be opening the dance."

"Quick question." I say. "Can I take another champion?"

"No."

"Can I take an Auror?"

"No."

"Can I take a teacher?"

"No."

"Can I take someone that isn'ta student?"

"Yes." Dumbledore says with twinkling eyes.

I groan. "You've brought this upon yourselves." I scowl and stalk out the room. I feel someone following me, so I turn a corner and wait for them. A man in thick grey robes comes round the corner, I punch him in the gut.

"It's rude to follow people unannounced." I say to the unspeakable.

After he got his breath back he starts to talk.

"I was asked to come about the magical artefact you summoned to fight the dragon." He says.

"The Jackson plate prototype?" He nods eagerly. "I broke it. It wasn't reinforced, just a prototype like I said."

"Would you be willing to make another one to be examined?"

"I'm going to be making another one, yes." I say. "Will I hand it over to the Ministry to be cloned? No."

I walk of as he starts to protest. I get back to my room, where the plate currently is. I cast privacy charms over my door and sweep the room for bugs. I don't want prying eyes seeing the fluxline framework yet. It takes more work to summon it in it's raw form here. I don't have wands for fingers. I'll have to create some sort of physical buttons that are stored in a pocket dimension and come out when the spell needs more buttons. I will need to use gold for the buttons, they will be able to handle the flux using them and the storage runes too. I could try and tear the charms off a galleon, but it'd probably kill me.

"Damn you fluxline. You used to be cool." I banish it.

I don't fancy having to swim through the lake when it comes to it. I could use this weird active alchemy to make propulsion, but where do I gain the initial force from? The water currents would be a good idea, but they are to inconsistent. Water pressure? I'd have to have a huge surface to harness the power. I'll think of something. I down a dreamless sleep potion.

* * *

><p>"Got a date yet?" I ask Fleur at breakfast, a week before the ball.<p>

"Non." She says. "Zat red-faced ginger boy asked me though." She frowns.

"Harry?" I say to him. "Nabbed one yet?" I grin at him.

He puts his arm around a blushing Hermione. "Asked in the library of all places." He laughs.

"Late night trip to the library?" I wiggle my eyebrows. "Either of you figured the egg out yet?"

They shake their heads. "It screams when I open mine." Harry says.

"Same here. Maybe we need to cook it?" I suggest.

"I doubt that. How about you, got yourself a date yet?"

I shake my head. "I've been putting it off, I'll ask them tonight."

"Who's the lucky girl?" Hermione asks. "Or guy." She quickly adds.

"It's going to be a surprise." I wink.

Later that night I put up the strongest concealment charms I could must, I bar the door and put a chair under the door for good measure. Definitely don't want anyone knowing what's going on in here.

"Uh, Lucy?" I say aloud.

"You think I'm some sort of house elf?" I hear her from behind me.

"How else was I supposed to summon the devil?" I turn to face her. "Sacrifice a virgin?"

She laughs at this. "That'd be a waste of a perfectly good virgin. What'dya need?"

"You know about this Yule Ball malarky right?"

"Of course. Who are going going to charm into escorting you?"

How do I ask a naked Lucifer to go to a ball with me?

"I was going to ask you actually."

"Me?" She actually looks surprised.

"I don't really have any virgins on hand to act as a dowry or something." I smirk at her, I've confused the devil.

"The virgin thing was never my idea." She shrugs. "Sure I'll come back for the ball." She stands up. "Wear red." She grins and bursts into flames.

"That was easier than I expected."

"_She's probably going to kill people._" Freya mumbles in my mind.

"Nah, maybe torment a few people." I chuckle. "I need to learn how to dance …. although I doubt she is one for ballroom dancing." What have I gotten myself into? I fall face first onto my bed and go to sleep.

The next week is pretty quiet, Most of the students have gone home for the winter break. I'd spent a lot of time with Harry trying to crack the egg, literally trying to break it sometimes.

"Almost time." He says as we sit on a bench outside the Great Hall. "Can you even dance?" He says to me.

"Eh, Somewhat." I shrug non-committally. "You?"

"Hermione had me learn, She could for some reason."

I spot Bill Weasley walk through the front door.

"Bill." I beckon him over.

"Zack, Harry." He nods at us.

"Being a date to the ball?" Harry asks.

"Fleur asked me." Bill says. "Much to my own shock, I've built up a slight tolerance to her allure apparently." He shrugs. "How about you two? Champions requirement?" He smirks.

"I asked Hermione the day after the announcement." Harry says.

"You'll get to meet who gave me that sword tonight." I say cryptically. "I'm not sure if that's a good thing, In fact I'm pretty sure it's bad." I shake my head. "I should have asked Rosmerta."

"Oh? That katana transformer thing?" His eyes light up. "I look forward to it."

Bill and Harry chat for a while. They, along with every other male in the school, are both wearing black robes. Not as baggy as normal robes, more like a suit.

I stick out like a sore thumb, I'm wearing a bright red tuxedo. It's really well made and it just appeared on my bed one day. I figure that I have to look the part if I'm going to a ball with Lucifer. I have spiky red hair too, People are staring at me.

"Worthless mudblood." Draco says, sporting his own fancy robes.

"I'm a Champion, fuck you." I flip him the bird with both hands.

"If everyone would please enter the hall." Everyone started rushing in, leaving the champions and their dates ready, Krum and some Beauxbatons girl. Fleur looks absolutely stunning. Hermione just came down the stairs to stand beside Harry.

"Mr. Jackson." McGonagall regards me with a worried expression. "Where is your date?"

"Sorry I'm late." I hear Lucy's voice from behind us all. Everyone turns to stare.

Fleur may be a veela and my god does she look great, but Lucy is the devil. Practically a god, So when I say she has divine beauty, I'm not lying. All the champions and their dates stare. She is enough to make a straight women gay.

"Here is my date, Professor." I don't think anyone can even hear me.

"Er, You may enter." McGonagall says. "The opening dance will begin in a few moments."

We straighten up and enter the hall. Lucy tones down whatever she was doing so she isn't drawing everyone's eyes until the dance starts.

We dance, Well I think Lucy has possessed my body and is dancing for me, but we dance well. After the first dance ends, a few brave souls moved onto the dance floor and began dancing along.

The music finished as the food appeared on the tables.

"Care to dine with us mortals?" I joke.

"I'm sure I can stomach something that isn't souls for once." Lucy says with a grin.

"You actually eat souls?" She laughs at me.

"Honestly I've never tried." She shrugs and begins eating.

"How are my fellow champions finding the evening?" I ask once they all sit.

Harry and Hermione smile at each other. "It's been pretty great so far." Harry answers for the two of them.

"Very good." Viktor says, he is smiling. "Not something ve have at Durmstrang. I enjoy it."

"Eet 'as been wonderful." Fleur beams at Lucy "I don't know what you 'ave done, but people are not staring." She seems delighted.

We began to chat whilst eating, We had a few people come over and congratulate us on our performances, or ask for Harry and Krum's autographs. They were happy to oblige, something I doubt they do often. The whole meal I felt eyes watching me, and not the normal stares. Something not quite human.

"If you will all excuse me for a moment." I say to the table. "I think someone wants to talk to me." I push my chair out and wander over to Dumbledore.

"Ah, What can I do for you, Zack?" He asks me with twinkling eyes. I lean in to his ear.

"Something higher than a human has been staring at me, sir." I lean back, keeping the smile on my face.

"Are they?" He keeps smiling. "I told them not to bother you." He waves me to follow him as he gets up and walks to a table with a couple seated at it. "I do think the three of you will get along spectacularly." He motions for me to take a seat then walks away.

The man and women already at the table watch me curiously. They don't look more than forty or so.

"Er, Hi?" I smile at them. They feel old.

"Quite daring." The man says. "Using alchemy in such a way against a dragon."

"Uh, thank you, sir." Who is this guy? No one bar perhaps Dumbledore would know that it was alchemy.

"Perhaps more daring." The woman says. "Is bringing the devil to dinner." Oh shit.

"Erm, Nicolas and Perenell Flamel, I assume?" I venture.

She claps. "Very good."

"I heard that one of your stones got busted a few years ago."

"Yes, yes. A bit of a set back. What I'd like to know, is how you used alchemy like that. I understand that you … procured one of Albus' books, but I've been a master alchemist for over 500 years and I've never done anything like that." He sits forward and leans on the table.

I summon a small fluxline inside my hand. It's not as easy to use as a physical one, but it works. I stare at Nicolas as I work it through my hand. I can barely stop my eyes widening as I manage to tune in on his age. This man is old. Not just his 660 years old either. Not a vampire, which is the only other being that could live that long. Oh hell, if I'm wrong it won't matter.

"500 years?" I smirk at him. "You've picked it up recently then, Nicolas?" I lean back in my chair and put on my widest grin.

"Or should I call you _Merlin_."


	33. Chapter 33: Myriddin Emrys

Chapter 33: Myriddin Emrys

"Haha!" Merlin laughs. "Excellent! The spell inside the hand! Brilliant!"

My turn to be shocked now. "How do you notice that?"

He laughs again. "My boy, There is a reason the witches and wizards exclaim "Merlin!" When they are surprised."

"They see him like a god." Perenell explains. "It doesn't help his already inflated ego." She sighs. "Morgana by the way." She smiles sweetly at me.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" I hear Lucy say with a huge grin.

"Ah! Lucy!" Merlin says. "It's been too long."

"I feel like I just walked in on some sort of godlike school reunion." I grumble.

"When this old bastard found a solid way to cheat death I paid him a visit." Lucy grins.

"Does Albus know?" I ask.

"He thinks I'm Nicolas Flamel." He laughs again.

"Have you never seen what I did? Or were you just playing along?" I ask. Have I impressed Merlin?

"Oh, I've done it before, but to use alchemy in an active way! Spectacular!" He claps. "What did you do?" He certainly is excitable.

"It's pretty simple really." I lean forward onto the table and flip a plate over. "To start with I inscribed the plate to make a shield when it received power, So I could have sapped my own core, or maybe even the audiences." I add the shield runes onto the plate. "but I would have depleted myself pretty quickly against the dragon, so I decided to use the fire as the fuel." I draw if the next set of runes. "Obviously this is impossible through normal means, else it'd be a common runic structure. So I used alchemy to use any heat above 40C to turn into the power needed to form the shield." I add in the last parts.

"So many questions!" He marvels at the plate.

"Ask away." I grin. Morgana and Lucy seem to lose interest and begin talking to each other.

"First of all, Why that temperature? Surely you could make it take in all the heat for a better power source."

"Well I wouldn't want all my body heat sucked out, nor those around me." I explain.

He slaps his forehead. "Of course! Now, how is it that you made a dinner plate into a magical artefact? And how did you create this complex rune structure?"

"The plate was iron to be fair, it is broken now, I burnt out it's ability to channel magic. How I did the runes?" I shrug. "It just makes sense."

"My boy." He says shaking his head. "Runemasters would take months to inscribe these in such a way, let alone the time to think of such a thing."

"It's simple programming, just using magic."

"Programming?" He looks confused. "Is this something to do with the temporal flux around you? A sloppy job, Lucy." He says.

Lucy shrugs. "Only you could have noticed it anyway."

"It's how muggles make their computers work." Merlin seems to understand a bit more now.

There is a small beeping sound.

"Ah! Our time here is up, Avalon awaits." Merlin stands up and takes Morgana's hand. "Perhaps we will meet again." He throws a book to me. 'Equivalent Exchange' by Myrifdin Emrys. I look up, but they are already gone.

I look at Lucy. "Did that just happen?"

She shrugs. "Come on, the fast music is starting." He eyes literally have fire in them as she drags me to the dance floor for some dirty dancing.

An hour later, I slump down onto my chair and drink lots of water. Lucy, sans shoes, sits down beside me.

"I think you actually took some of my soul doing that." I gasp out whilst desperately trying to replenish my fluid levels.

"Relax, I'll give it back." She giggles. "You'll be the envy of the whole school, girls and boys alike." I look over at her. She is hot. She would be smoking hot, but I told her the smoke might draw more attention.

"So how old is Myriddin then?" I ask her after drinking more water.

"Hmm, about 3000. He went by the name of Jesus for a few years a while back." She laughs. "Water to wine. That was his early liquid alchemy. Tasted shite."

I laugh at this.

"Thanks for asking me by the way." She smiles at me, she almost looks sane. "It's nice to see the souls enjoying their short lives before I swim in them." And there she is.

"You're welcome I suppose." I say. "The night's almost over, I suppose I can afford to give away a few dances."

"I'm off now. Red and White liked this dress." She grins and explodes.

I look around to see if anyone saw. I could probably say it was Freya if they ask. I find Fleur sitting by herself.

"Bill gone?" I ask.

"Oui, 'e 'as to work early tomorrow." She says.

"Care for a dance?" The music is slow now.

"I thought you'd never ask." She takes my hand and we slowly turn in circles, not dancing, but nice. "Who were those people you went to talk to?" She asks after a while.

"The Flamels." I smile at her shocked face. "Nicolas was interested in my plate."

Fleur shakes her head and smiles. "You people are all strange."

"Us people?" I ask.

"Alchemists." She says simply. "The great Nicolas Flamel, jumping up and down on his seat at the idea of seeing a school boys plate." She laughs. "And Albus Dumbledore. Well he is … strange."

"And me?"

"One day I'm sure zey will all know you name." She lifts her head from my shoulder and kisses me softly. "Goodnight, Zack." She walks away. I don't even try and restrain myself from watching her fine derriére walking out of the hall.

"Wotcher, Zack." I hear from behind me. I turn to see Tonks in a short black cocktail dress. Life is grand sometimes.

"Bloody hell Tonks." The devil, a veela and a metamorph. Three of the most perfectly sculpted women alive. "Not on duty any more?"

"Nope." She grins. "I figure the champion can spare one more dance." The band announce that this will be the last song, there are only a few other people still in the hall, Many of whom are not conscious.

Tonks almost steps on my foot as we start to dance.

"Although those shoes do match, my feet are killing me. How about we put some boots on?" I ask her.

"Please. I can't stand these things." She flicks her feet, throwing the shoes away and summons our boots. "Much better." She rests her head on my shoulder.

"You smell different tonight." I tell her.

"What?"

"It's how I notice you when you're invisible." I chuckle a bit. "You usually smell like raspberries."

The last song ends and Tonks leaves, she has to work early tomorrow.

"Ah. Zack!" I hear a voice. Dumbledore walks towards me. "Quite the evening, eh?" He has a glass of red smoking liquid in his hand.

"Bit of an understatement." I laugh.

"Yes! Yes yes." He takes a swig of his drink. "There is a rumour that powerful wizards can hold more alcohol." He says off-handedly.

"There is a rumour that metamorphs have the same gift." I grin at him.

"We might be able to talk a pair of magical birds to take us to a fine drinking establishment this night." He says.

We watch each other for a moment before our respective phoenixes flash us to the Three Broomsticks.

"Michael Mann!" Dumbledore says. "Drinks are on me tonight." He raises his finished glass.

"Yes, Professor." He shakes his head after looking at me.

Drinking with Dumbledore? If he can hold as much alcohol as he says we're in for a long night. He's about as powerful as they get.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

I wake up in a sitting position. I'm in a small room, looks like a meeting room. Albus is snoring against the table beside me, there are glasses all over the table. All empty. There is a knock at the door.

"Uh, Come in." An old man pushes the door open.

"Ah. You're awake." He puts two purple vials on the table. I down mine and poke Albus.

"Wake up you nonse."

"mrmrmm" He grumbles against the table. I put the vial in his hand, he tilts his head and drinks it.

"Ah. Much better." He looks up. "Aberforth. Thank you for giving us this room away from the open crowds."

"It wouldn't do for people to see the two of you drinking away and singing." He laughs. "Rosmerta asked me to bring you here after a few rounds."

We must be in the Hogs Head.

"I suppose we should be getting back to Hogwarts, Breakfast is already under way." Albus says.

"Thanks again Abe." I say. Freya and Fawkes collect us and drop us outside the Great Hall. "Oh look, the doors are closed. Should I turn into Voldemort? Or shall we just do the bang?"

Albus laughs. "I think you would get attacked, perhaps just the bang." He motions for me to set it up. He wandlessly slams the doors open after we strike heroic poses. "Nitwit, Blubber." He starts.

"Oddment, Tweak." I grin and head over to my seat.

"Where have you been?" Hermione asks me.

"With Albus, of course." I take a bite of some toast.

"_Albus_? What were you doing?" She asks, more interested.

"Herms, I don't think you'd believe me if I told you."

She huffs and turns back to her book.

Snape comes over to us. "Mr. Jackson." He says smoothly. "Thank you for you gift. It is most appreciated." and he leaves without another word.

"You gave _Snape _a Christmas present?" Harry asks incredulously.

I shrug. "It was a small bag of phoenix ashes. I imagine it's fun working with new and rare ingredients. I'm surprised Dumbledore doesn't give him some every now and then." A memory comes back from last night. "That's it. He gives every last grain to St. Mungos."

"Thank you for the book by the way." She taps it and begins reading again. It's a book on magical creatures.

An owl lands in front of my with two small boxes.

"And it appears Harry's and Fleur's have arrived. Sorry they're not wrapped." I push the box containing a pair of boots to Harry. "To my brother in all but blood." He puts them on immediately. "They'll last forever, quite literally. Heat death of the universe won't end those suckers." I laugh at my own joke, no one gets it. "This was a bit harder to procure." I say turning to Fleur. "This necklace … well I'm sure you'll feel what it does." I hand her a slim box.

The necklace doesn't look like any thing fancy, just a small lily flower charm. Fleur slips it around her neck and fastens in. Her eyes widen.

"You probably won't want to always wear it, but -" I'm cut off by her lips pressing against mine.

"Thankyouthankyouthankoyu." Reiterating each word with another kiss. I should get her more presents. She hugs me tightly.

"What does it do?" Harry asks.

"It uses her innate veela charm and feeds it back into her." I explain. "Equivalent exchange. Uses up the allure to revitalize her. I had to use a great big lump of gold to enchant it, but I think it's worth it."

"You _made _this?" Fleur gasps and looks at it.

"Well not the necklace itself, but the enchanting is all me. That's why it only got here today, I had to get the flower on an unbreakable chain."

"Does it completely negate her allure?" Hermione asks.

"I did some experiments using my own, which is a fair bit stronger if I sweat a lot, and even the muggles didn't look at me."

Fleur pulls me into a deep kiss. Time well spent.

"Ahem." I hear a cough behind me. I look up to see Viktor Krum holding his egg. "I have, how do you say, cracked the egg." He smiles slightly at his joke. "Come." He leads us out to the lake. "You might vant warming charms." He casts one on himself and wades into the water fully clothed.

We follow suit.

"Open the egg and put your head under vater." We do so and hear the hidden mermish song.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I'm not really good with the mushy stuff. Enjoy.**


	34. Chapter 34: The Grim

Chapter 34: The Grim

"So this is obviously about merpeople." I say. "Does the Black Lake home any of them?" I ask.

"Yes." Hermione says. "The biggest clan of merpeople in Britain live in the lake." She looks over the words of the song. "We've taken what you'll sorely miss. A person?"

"Probably right." I say. "So we've got an hour to save our hostage?"

"And we lose them if we don't do it in the hour?" Harry says.

"Barzúl." I curse.

"What is that word?" Fleur looks at me. "It's not English, nor French. You seem to curse with it a lot."

"Eh, It's Dwarven." The truth.

"You speak Dwarven?" Viktor asks.

"Just a few words." I forgot there is a magical race of Dwarfs. "How are you guys going to last an hour underwater? I can grow gills."

"You can?" Hermione says.

"Sure, I almost died when I learnt how to, nearly suffocated." I chuckle.

"Do ve lose our hostage if we do not pass?" Viktor asks.

I shake my head. "I doubt it. They said they made this whole thing more safe. But it won't make the water not drown you."

"A bubble head charm perhaps?" Fleur says.

"Transfiguration." Viktor says. "You transfigure yourself gills. We should be able to as well."

"You'd need it to link to your lungs and filter the oxygen from the water." I shake my head. "Just gills wouldn't cut it."

"Polyjuice a merperson?" Harry says with a laugh.

"Polyjuice?" I say. "Now there's an idea."

"Don't be ridiculous." Hermione says. "It doesn't work on non-humans."

"Ah, you are so right and so wrong." I laugh. "Whilst merpeople are not human, I am." I grin at them.

"Vill it vork?" Viktor asks.

"What?" Harry asks.

I morph into a copy of Viktor. "Viktor Krum, Adds gills and take a hair."

"He does this for each of us and ve haf ourselves some gills." He slaps me on the back.

"You'll need to practice using them." I remind them. "Where would we get a potion such as polyjuice?" I ask innocently.

"I think we can figure something out." Harry grins and looks at Hermione.

"We can have it ready by late January." She says. "So that should give you a month or so to practice."

"The breathing part isn't too hard." I say. "I can add webbed hands and feet too, to save you transfiguring yourselves."

"Are you sure polyjuice works when you are changed?" Fleur asks me. "It could just turn us into you."

I shrug. "If it doesn't, I'm sure we can think of something in the month before the task, but thanks to Viktor, we have all this time to prepare for an underwater task."

He nods. "I must get back to my mentor now. Thank you for the morph idea." He jogs away.

"Oui, I must also go." She pulls me into a hug and walks away.

Barking sounds from a short way away. A large black dog runs over to us.

"Padfoot!" Harry gasps. "What are you doing here?"

The dog jumps about barking for a bit, then looks at me. If I was just a mage sight user, I'd know this wasn't a dog, but I already know it's not a dog.

"This is Padfoot." Harry says simply. I bend my knees to crouch down.

"How do I put this delicately." I pause for a moment. "This isn't a dog."

"Padfoot's" eye widen, he looks at Harry. Hermione casts concealment spells around us, pretty amazing work.

"You might as well come Mr. Dog." I say, grinning at him. "These two didn't seem shocked by the news, so they already know you it seems." I stand up again.

Harry shrugs, The dogs spins on the spot and a second later I'm staring down the business end of Sirius Black's wand.

"Zack Jackson." I grin, holding my hand out. "Nice to meet'ya."

He pockets his wand and starts laughing.

"I like you already." He grins at me. "Sirius Black." He strikes a pose.

"Why are you here?" Harry asks him, unable to hold the question any longer. "I said not to come, it's dangerous. I've seen the dementors floating about the forest."

Sirius pulls him into a hug.

"It'll be fine. Nobody will know it's me." He turns and looks at me. "Except you. How did you know?"

I tap the side of my nose with my finger and grin.

"You're not the only one with a good nose."

He lets out a bark of laughter.

"Not an animagus though." I admit to him as I turn into a carbon copy of him. "It's a bit more than that."

He spins to Harry. "This is the other metamorph?"

"Yep."

"Amazing." He says, looking over me closely. "Not a descendant of the Blacks are you? Historically more metamorphs have been in the Black line that any other."

"I'm _very _well acquainted with the current Blacks metamorph." I smile my mile wide grin.

"Nymphadora?" His eyes widen. "She's an Auror isn't she?" He spins around, clearly forgetting the concealment charms.

"Wouldn't call her that to her face. I won't tell anyone, it's fine." Freya pops onto my shoulder and sings, calming Sirius.

"What if they take it from your mind?" He pales. "What if they take it from _your _minds?" He points at Harry and Hermione.

"_Take _it from our minds? What?" Harry asks.

"You don't think Aurors would do that, do you?" I ask Sirius.

"Do what?" Hermione asks, clearly worried.

"I've never thought of telling you before." Sirius sighs. "There is a form of magic that allows wizards, or witches, to see into the minds of others. It's called legilimency. You-know-who was said to have been one of the best in the art. Skilled practitioners don't even need to use a wand, they just need eye contact. As a child of Black, I was taught occlumency when I was 6 years old. I picked up a tiny bit of legilimency, It's illegal unless used under official capacity. I'd take a few minutes, but I could see surface emotions, useless." He sighs and sits on a rock.

"Can't be too hard to stop." I grin.

Sirius looks at me like I'm mad.

"Hell, if I can suppress the veela allure, I can probably block out legilimency." It's actually a lot different, the allure is a magical pheromone. Legilimency is a probe of magic.

"No one can suppress veela allure." Sirius says.

I smirk at him. "No one until me. This is going to be hard for you, but I need you to use it on me, it's the only way I can see how it works."

"I can't." He says, shaking his head. "I don't know how to hold it back, I'll end up going through all you memories."

I wave him off. "If you can even get anything, you will be above Merlin. It doesn't work on me."

It takes a bit more coercion, but he eventually sits opposite me and stares me in the eye.

I see the tendril of magic extend from his eyes, wild and untrained, clearly it's hard to do. I tap my hand with my wand, putting a fluxline into it, simplest way to scan the probe.

"Keeping pushing it." I tell him, moving my hand around the link.

"Gah!" He almost blinks, I must have sent the data into his head by mistake.

"Sorry, I fixed it." I say.

The probe reaches my eye, I can see Sirius is in deep concentration. He seems to have noticed the link reaching my eyes, the probe begins to fill out as he pushes. I have a matt film in my eyes, I wouldn't want to mirror it back at him, that'd be cruel.

"Alright, you can stop." I say after a few minutes. He falls backwards onto the grass, panting for air.

"What were those numbers?" He says after getting his breath back. "Are you a … robot or something?"

"Ah, sorry about that." I run my fingers through my hair. "The numbers were only supposed to go into my head, I must have blocked the stream a bit."

His eye widen a fraction. "You were having those numbers batter into your head for a solid 5 minutes?"

I shrug. "It was like reading words to me. The good news is that I can block it easily." I pick up two pebbles from the shoreline and start inscribing runes into them.

"How is he doing that?" I hear Sirius whisper. "Nobody can scribe runes like that!"

"Until him, evidently." I hear Harry say, clearly amused.

"Alright." I say after a few minutes. I hand Harry and Hermione a stone each. "These will vibrate when someone is attempting it on you, so break eye contact immediately. It will begin to use your own magic to create a mental shield for you." I scratch my chin. "It's a pretty efficient formula, but I wouldn't stubbornly maintain eye contact." I lay back on the grass and close my eyes.

"You ok?" I hear Sirius say.

"Eh. I marked a place to make a hole on the stones. They will only word as necklaces and need skin contact. Although if you put a metal chain through them it will act like a contact."

I hear them squabble over who is the most adept at boring holes for a couple of minutes.

"I'd prefer if you didn't split those stones." I call out with a smile. The sun is quite pleasant and it's not too cold for December, despite being in Scotland. "They're probably worth more than your weight in gold."

"I can't even see the runes on these, did you do anything?" Sirius calls over to me.

"Yep, one of your should conjure some string or something to act as a temporary necklace." Harry is put on cord duty whilst Sirius bores the holes. "How are things with Ron by the way?"

Hermione scoffs at this and sits beside me.

"He had the audacity to ask for an apology." She says. "This was after he turned the school on Harry." She sounds cross. Should I do something? "Are you alright? You've barely moved a muscle not on your face for 15 minutes."

I open one eye and see her frowning at me.

"A bit tired, might kip here tonight."

"We're done." Sirius says. "Two make shift occlumency necklaces. Unique."

"We have time to pop into Gringotts." I say, pushing myself up unsteadily. "I'd offer for you to come Mr. Black, but we don't have any polyjuice."

"It'd take the whole day to sneak out anyway." He says.

"We could ask that phoenix. She doesn't seem busy." I say, pointing at Freya.

"I'll be the lovable pet dog." He changes into Padfoot.

"Why Gringotts?" Hermione asks me.

"Not that I'd ever spend anyone else's cash for them, but I think the Ancient and Noble House of Potter can afford a couple of chains for those runestones." I grin at Harry. "Maybe a spot of ice-cream for you amazing metamorph pal." Harry laughs and nods. Freya lands on my shoulder. "Grab onto a part of me, Above the waist though Hermione." I wink at her, she slaps my arm and grab onto me. We burn away, reappearing outside the Leaky Cauldron.

"If anyone asks, We are allowed to be here." Harry says. "Any trouble and grab onto Zack again." We enter Diagon Alley and head for the bank.

"Much more quiet without the school shoppers running around." I muse.

As we enter Gringotts, some of the guards look at Padfoot or Freya.

Harry approaches the counter.

"I'd like to enter my vault." He passes his key to the goblin, who verifies the and calls Hookclaw to take us down. It turns out that Harry had a couple of enchanted chains in his vault. They stopped people from being able to take the necklaces or break them. There was also a concealment charm weaved into them.

"Don't hand these over to any Unspeakables." I tell them with a laugh.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Until Peter surfaces, Sirius will still be a fugitive sadly. Enjoy.**


	35. Chapter 35: Preparation

Chapter 35: Preparation.

"How are you so good with runes?" Hermione asks whilst we are eating ice-cream.

"I think it's similar to how Harry understands parseltongue." I say.

"I hear it as English." He chimes in.

"I merely read the runes as English." I explain. "Writing them comes easily, well I have to put a lot into the writing part, but once I know what I want them to do it's just a matter of carving them into whatever I'm doing." I scratch my pointed ears, They don't like the weather in London. "We should be getting back, people will wonder where we were." They all grab onto me as Freya takes us back.

"I'll go stay in my cave now. I'll be down for the next task." Sirius hugs Harry and runs off as a dog.

"Would you mind filling me in as to why we had ice-cream with Sirius Black just then?" I ask Harry. "Clearly I've missed something here."

The two of them go on to explain what happened in their third year and about his godfather.

* * *

><p>Over the next month, Hermione began to brew polyjuice potion inside the abandoned girls toilet. I debated asking Tonks if it would work, but I figured this was more fun. Viktor and Fleur came with us to the lake in the middle of January, when the potion was done.<p>

"I made a cauldron full of this stuff, so we have enough to practice." Hermione says, pulling out several bottles.

"Right, Who wants to test it first?" I look around. Harry agrees to go first. "Ok, let's get morphing."

To make sure that Harry and the others don't lose balance, I need to make the body a perfect replica Harry takes off his shirt so I can get the body right.

"I'd throw some muscles on, but it'd make your balance go off." I say, taking a hair off my Harry clone's head. Gills and webbing where needed.

"Bottoms up." He says as he drinks the potion. The effect isn't spectacular because it's not changing his height or face.

"Might want to get into the water before the gills grow in." I suggest. I change back into myself, it's weird only having one heart after so long.

"I can breath." Harry says whilst submerged to his chin in the lake.

I morph into Viktor and he takes to the webbed hands and feet very well.

Fleur has loved wearing the necklace. Having no allure is wonderful apparently.

"Sorry if I don't do your beauty justice." I grin as I begin morphing. "I'm sure I'll get the soft bits right." She laughs at this. Hermione just shakes her head and smiles.

She wades into the water, looking unsure of herself. Veela are fire birds really, water isn't good for them.

"Not going to join them?" Hermione asks me once they begin to swim about.

"Nah, I've got a new project." I pull on a pair of runed gloves and swap my boots for some rune filled shoes. Hermione sees the runes.

"What do they do?" She takes a step back.

Whilst Hermione was brewing the past month, I've been working on these beauties. They emit a soundless, invisible and odourless thrust of magic. Think of a wizard Ironman.

"I've not even tested them yet." I grin at her. "If I fly into the sun, tell Freya to come and get me."

I activate the boots and gloves, they throw me 10 feet into the air quickly before I shut them off.

"Shit." I manage to say before I hit the ground. Hermione starts giggling. "Maybe a bit less power this time." I say, pushing myself off the ground.

"Just a touch." She says smugly.

The second flight is a lot more controlled. Balancing proves to be easier that I thought, I did start to write systems to auto-correct if I overdo one side or the other, they work OK, I wouldn't trust them much higher than a few feet currently, only a prototype. Suddenly a wave of dizziness hits me, that means low battery. I black out as I hit the floor.

"Zack!" I hear a female voice before being slapped.

"Eer. I was asleep." I mumble. Evidently drawing power straight from my core isn't a good idea.

"You vere flying vith no broom." Viktor says. He looks at Harry. "He vas flying vith no broom." He looks at the others. "You can't fly vith no broom."

"Nobody until him." Harry says with a grin.

"Well." I say. "I'm not a very good battery apparently." I push myself onto my elbows. "Maybe Albus could give them a whirl." I laugh at the thought. I could try and figure out a formula to use a form of alchemy to power the flight. The philosophers stone is a cheat in alchemy. Anything you do with it negates any need for equivalencey. It's a powerhouse. The perfect battery if I could get one. "So the polyjuice forms were ok?"

"Yup, It'll last long enough for us to save whoever gets taken." Harry says. "As long as we wait in the water for it to wear off, gills in open air hurt a fair bit." I rubs his neck.

"I'd prefer if you didn't mention my flying prototype's to anyone. They're not ready for the public to see yet." They all nod in acceptance.

We head back to our respective rooms in the castle, I try and think of where to get enough power to fly from.

"No fire to fuel it." I say to Freya once we're in my room.

"_You could probably draw it from me._" She says.

"It'd force your burning day." I shake my head. "Not worth it."

"_The propulsion works OK in short burst._" She says. "_Like casting a spell._"

I sit against one of my walls and begin bouncing a ball from my hand to the other wall.

"Gravity?" I suggest.

"_Does it cause enough kinetic energy to move you? Or is it even harnessable?_"

"Gravity is pretty weak. I could counteract the entire Earth gravity with a small magnet over a paperclip." I sigh in frustration. "Ideally this ball throwing would be sparking some idea." I say whilst throwing the ball.

"_Well look at what's at play._" Freya suggests. "_You start the cycle by throwing the ball, turning the power of your arm into kinetic energy on the ball. It expends some of it's energy into the wall as it hits at and uses it potential energy to bounce back._"

"I could try and levitate a huge section of water, that'd cause gravity to pull down on it a lot. Oh, that's gold." I sit forward. "Lift up a huge part of the water, transferring the gravitational pull into energy and channelling it right back into me." I head to my desk to start calculations. "It looks like I'd have a more than enough to continuously lift the water, which would cause more power to be used to keep it up. The perfect loop, It even has a surplus of energy each second."

"_So you could use that surplus to power the propulsion._" Freya finishes for me.

"Exactly!" I let out a whoop of excitement. "Of course this is only a temporary measure. Situational power, like the dragonfire shield." I draw up some more charts. "Whilst I'm flying just above the surface I can get the gloves and boots to make a trick attempt at lifting water beneath the surface, thus keeping a constant flow of power available."

"_So you're going to fly across the lake, dunk underwater to save your hostage and fly back like a superhero?_" Freya says dryly.

"I'll hang about to make sure the others get to their hostages of course, but that's the general idea."

"_You've got a month to break several laws of physics and thermodynamics._"

I wave her off. "It'll be easy. I've almost managed to get the buttons working on the input module of fluxline. I will be able to actively see the alchemy at work." I sit at my desk looking over the formulas. "Looks like the water motion energy will work perfectly, I'll add the energy draw to the gloves and boots when I get up. Maybe I should make a whole set of clothing to add them to, more space to work with." I down sleep potion.

The second task is approaching quickly, I worked out the kinks in the flight power transfer and it works over water now. I ended up going to Diagon Alley and getting a waistcoat to inscribe the runes onto, I only used up a little space on the back for the water power transfer. I'd like to add other ways of getting power using the waistcoat as the power part. The gloves and boots are just addons to it. The best part is that I can keep the waistcoat on under my clothes, so I can simply put the gloves on for support now that I use my boots as the thrusters.

One day before breakfast I exited the portrait after Luna. Some girls began walking towards her, clearly not meaning well, I got there first.

"Bit of bad luck in the first task, eh?" I say to her.

She looks at me strangely.

"Not a single crumpled-horn in sight." I sigh dramatically. "The dragon was a bit of a let down really."

She smiles at me.

"You were most entertaining." She says. "A dragon is not a good partner when trying to be funny, but you did an admirable job."

"The crowd certainly enjoyed themselves." I smile. They must have thought I was mad. We arrive at the Great Hall.

"Thank you for the escort." She says. "Those girls are not the most pleasant of people."

"Escort?" I ask her. "I'd be delighted if you would join us for breakfast."

She smiles and skips beside me to the table. She sits down beside Fleur.

"Mornin'" I say. "I'm sure you've all come across Luna at come point." Luna doesn't acknowledge her name and starts to eat various fruits, occasionally looking at Fleur. "Why the allure today?" I ask her.

Hermione answers. "One of the upper year Gryffindor boys, Sam something, claimed he could fight off the allure."

"Ah, so you took the necklace off?" I grin at Fleur.

"'E fell over after a second." She says sweetly.

"Got a plan for the task?" I ask Harry.

"Smash and grab." He grins.

A week later we are lined up in front of the lake. Ludo Bagman is shouting to the crowds about the task and the hostages. Large screens appear above us, showing the feed from a camera in side the lake near the hostages.

"Using ingenious methods, we will be able to watch the champions at work inside the lake!" He shouts.

Viktor's hostage is the Beauxbatons girl this time as Hermione is Harry's. Gabrielle is there for Fleur and they somehow managed to subdue Tonks to put her under for me.

"Reckon they will be ok if we don't make it?" Harry says to me.

I nod. "Dumbledore wouldn't allow harm to befall innocents. Well except maybe you." I grin at him. I wave Viktor and Fleur over. "Remember, polyjuice potion only lasts an hour. So surface before it runs out." I look up at the judges. "They'll probably let a champion die if they want."

"On the sound of the cannon, you maybe enter the lake." Bagman shouts. This is going to be good.

The cannon fires and the other drink their potion and wade into the lake.

"The Hogwarts champion has yet to move towards the lake!" He shouts to the crowds.

I look around at the stands whilst pulling on my gloves. The camera has a good shot of me. I grin at them as walk out towards the lake. I place my hand on the surface of the water and huge ripples begin to form, the power starts.

"In the immortal words of Johnny Storm, Flame on!" I say as float into the air, the crowds cheer as I burst away across the rippling lake.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry if the science doesn't make sense, I thought i'd spare you all my attempt at measuring magic. Second task is next chapter. Enjoy.**


	36. Chapter 36: The Second Task

Chapter 36: The Second Task

Goggles might be a good idea next time, the wind is stinging my eyes. I can imagine that the judges won't be pleased with the fact that I'm not underwater, but I head no rule about having to be submerged. I do a few twirls in the air for the camera and cast a warming charm on my clothes before diving into the water whilst growing my gills.

It looks like I'm in a town of some sort, the windows are blocked by big stones, possibly to stop champions going into the merpeople's homes. I begin to walk along the lake floor. There are a few merpeople hiding round corners, they stare at me as I walk past. Understandable really. I wave at one of them and they seem to freeze up before swimming away.

The whole town is quite large, I opt for flying about under the surface to get a better look, logic says they would put the hostages at the centre, or in a big opening on some sort, but the middle is empty, it's possible that they don't want us accidentally destroying the city so they put the hostages out somewhere else. I wave goodbye to my followers.

I stroll out of the town in the opposite direction of Hogwarts, they should have put the hostages far away, right? Maybe if I go to the surface and look for the stands. I slowly begin to rise.

I'm almost in the middle of the lake, the end platform isn't too far away, the hostages are probably below them. I submerge myself again and float along to the pedestal. Four tall posts are dug into the ground, Our hostages are tied to each one. They are not in any immediate danger, I lean against a nearby rock to wait for the others.

A few minutes pass before Viktor swims along with a few cuts along his torso, I throw him my knife to cut the girl loose. He nods at me.

Harry turns up a few minutes later looking tired. I point at him, rub my own gills then tap my arm where I would wear a watch, he gets the message and cuts Hermione loose.

"_Tempus._" I mumble under the water. The hour is almost up. Looks like Fleur isn't going to make it. Harry breaks the surface above me and heads for the stands. Bother.

I cut Tonks' binds and move towards Gabrielle. A slimy hand snakes towards me, they find themselves at the business end of my sword.

"Take only one." The grindylow says.

"One my arse." I try and say through the water, I cut the ropes around Gabrielle and put an arm round her waist. Not easy to carry both of them.

The grindylows start to stab at my legs, I can only use my boot thrusters as my arms are indisposed.

"Get your lizardy arms away from me." I attempt to say, I end up kicking a couple in the head. I probably only have a minute left, so I might as well make an exit, the giant squid appears to be headed this way. I'll have to use my own core for the big burst. "Here we go."

It's a brilliant couple of seconds as we burst through the surface of the water and stay airborne. I can only hope somebody in the stands will cast a cushioning charm on us. The crowd screams as a giant tentacle bursts towards me. I use my gloves to propel Tonks and Gabrielle to the stands, away from the tentacle. This is going to hurt.

The giant squid swats me out of the air like a small fly, I slam own on the float. Looks like I made it inside the time limit. I hear sobbing and something about Fleur having trouble in the water. I push myself into a sitting position. I'm missing my pinkie and ring finger on my left hand and I don't have a left leg currently. Madam Pomfrey is waving her wand around me.

"Squids have serrated tentacles?" I ask her, She frown at me. I don't think I should be awake at this point. "Give me some skele-grow, I can do the rest."

She looks at me before opening a box ad handing me a yellow potion. This isn't going to be pleasant. I grimace and drink the thick liquid.

First there is the pain, so much pain. Growing a bone back this fast isn't nice. Freya cries onto the wound. 100% Phoenix tears. Undiluted. I direct the potion through my body to my leg, I work on the bone whilst Freya does any tissues.

"How was the scoring?" I ask, trying to ignore the stump I'm currently regrowing. Some people around me lose their lunch. "Perhaps something for their stomachs, Poppy?" I grin at her. I look over to Fleur, who currently has a death grasp on her sister.

"Bit of a scratch you have there." I hear Dumbledore say with a slight chuckle.

There is a burst of movement to my side, a ring of people form around Gabrielle and Fleur. Gabrielle is curled up on the floor, glowing faintly.

"Someone tell me what is going on." I moan.

"She is maturing." Fleur says, looking very panicked. "The veela transformation is sometimes triggered in high stress environments. Almost being kill by a squid is high stress."

The crowd tightens around Gabrielle, Her allure is coming off in waves. Clearly it's stronger when they mature, almost like it's been building for years. Fleur kicks a man in the head that moves in. A searing pain shoots up my leg. I suck air in between my teeth.

"Fleur." I manage to gasp out. "The necklace." I cough. Blood, this isn't good. "Share the necklace … " I trail off as the blood loss overcomes me.

* * *

><p>I wake up in a white room. I'm vaguely aware that I have two legs. A man is talking French quickly to Dumbledore, I think it's Jean Delacour. I turn my head to my right and see three, almost identical, beautiful blondes.<p>

"I've died." I said. "Only heaven would see you three at my bedside." I grin at them as Fleur smacks my arm before hugging me.

"and to think I thought you wouldn't say anything inappropriate as your first words." Fleur laughs, still holding onto me.

"It's good to see you too." I look at the other two. "So this is the new Gabrielle?" She smiles at me.

"Thank you for saving us. Again." She says. She hugs me once Fleur moves.

"This must be the elusive third Delacour sister?" I say to the last. She laughs beautifully, Veela are great.

"Appoline." She says with a smile, she hugs me once Gabrielle and Fleur sit down together. "Thank you for saving my daughter."

"What about me?" I hear Tonks say, turning into another blonde and dramatically throwing her arms around me,

"I should get cut in half by squids more often." I say to them.

"We meet again, Mr. Jackson." Jean says as he realises I'm awake. "Quick bit of thinking with the necklace." He points at Gabrielle, who is sitting on Fleur's lap, so the necklace can protect them both. "Genius work by the way."

"I know many of our kind that would … _pay_ well for such an amulet." Appoline smirks at me.

"Pay?" My addled brain doesn't make the connection straight away. "Oh!" I laugh, hurting my chest.

"Would you be willing to make another for Gabrielle?" Jean asks me with a pleading expression.

"I can only hold back my allure from years of practice." Appoline says. "A recently awakened veela should be kept away from others for at least a month."

"I think I can make another one. I worked out the formula using my own allure, but I keyed the necklace to Fleur, each allure is different. It's why you two have to share that one, it only gets activated by Fleur."

"What do you need?" Jean says. "Any materials in any amount, I can get the highest quality."

I shake my head.

"Just a big lump of gold for the enchanting, and the necklace of course. It can already be enchanted too, anti-theft and all that. But I'm not in any condition to make it now unfortunately." I wave to my battered and bruised body.

"I should think not!" Madam Pomfrey says. "You almost completely depleted your core!"

"I had to get Gabrielle and Tonks out the way of the tentacle." I shrug. "Not a whole lot you can do when you're flying with no power."

"Yes, the flying." Dumbledore says. "How is it you managed such a feat with no apparatus?"

"Magic." I grim at him, I can tell he was expecting that answer. I push myself onto my elbows. "How are Harry and Viktor?"

"Minor cuts and exhaustion." Dumbledore says. "You won the second task." He says with a smile. "Our mutual friend was most excited when you began to fly."

"Mutual friend?" Jean asks.

"Nicolas Flamel." Dumbledore says simply. "There are precious few alchemists in the world. We tend to watch others work."

"Not that I don't love this infirmary, but when can I leave?"

"You will have to stay here overnight, and don't think about sneaking out." Madam Pomfrey tells me.

"Aye-aye." I mock salute.

Dumbledore takes his leave, the third task is in June.

"I've got a few hours to kill." I tell Fleur. "And you two aren't exactly the most mobile right now." I grin at them.

We tell Gabby about the Yule Ball and Fleur explains about her maturing. Hers happened naturally, nothing triggered it so it was a bit less messy. We talked for the rest of the day, they are quite similar to one and other, until Madam Pomfrey told them to rest, They took the bed next to mine.

Jean returned in the morning with a necklace and I hefty chunk of gold.

"Is this enough?" He looks anxious. Understandably so, I could be making a choker that could bind his daughter to my will.

"Should be." I sit up on my bed and retrieve my wand from the nightstand. "I need everyone that isn't Gabrielle to leave the room." They start to protest. "Fleur's allure is suppressed actually, she can stay. But unless you want to try and fight off Gabrielle's maturing allure, I suggest you leave." They all swiftly make for the door. "Ok, Fleur, you need to keep the necklace on so you don't interfere with Gabby's."

She nods and Gabby slowly extracts herself from Fleur's necklace. Gabby's Allure hit me like a truck.

"Jesus christ." I say, shaking my head. "I suppose it's lucky I didn't try it after I pulled you out of the lake." I joke. "I just need to see what you smell like."

She looks at Fleur, who nods with a smile. She takes a step towards me and leans near me. I breath in deeply.

"Ok." I gurgle. She moves away and I sag in relief. "Remind everyone to never, ever be near a newly matured veela. Ever."

I begin to inscribe the tiny runes into the necklace, it's really tiring stuff.

"And now for the enchant." I heft the chunk of gold into my lap and place the necklace ontop. "This is the big part. It will be ready if all the gold is gone." I take a steadying breath and tap the necklace. The drain on my magic starts instantly, I feel like it's sapping away at my life. This isn't good. The draining stops. "One anti-allure necklace." I force out a smile.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou." Gabby throws her arms around me and hugs me tightly before putting on the necklace.

Blackness starts to envelop my vision, seeping in from the side. I fall back against my bed.

"Zack?" I hear one of them say. "Not again." She adds. Fleur I think.

I black out. Again.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry that the task was a bit short and boring. Zack flew over the lake, not much fighting to do for him, until the squid. Enjoy.**


	37. Chapter 37: Lunch at Gringotts

Chapter 37: Lunch at Gringotts

I feel someone punching my chest.

"Gah." I cough. "I'm up, I'm up."

I hear Madam Pomfrey scoff.

"He's alive again." She calls out, clearly done with my shenanigans.

People walk back to my bedside.

"Probably should have waited until later to make that necklace." I say, shifting my legs to hang over my bed. "First thing first, I need some food." I shakily stand up, testing my new leg.

"'ow is it?" Gabby asks.

I take a few test steps, It feels fine. "No worse than before. _Tempus_." Nearly time for dinner, splendid. I pull my clothes on. "Shall we?" I wave my hand to the door, Fleur shakes her head as she walks with me.

"Many people have been trying to get into the infirmary." She tells me. "They wanted to know how you were flying." She smirks at me. "I took off my necklace for a few minutes."

We enter the Great Hall and we get a round of applause, this is the first time since I got my leg torn off that they've seen me. I give them a bow before taking my seat opposite Luna.

"If it makes you feel any better, Harold said he didn't mean it." Luna tells me.

"I suppose being a giant squid you don't know your own strength." She smiles at me. "It does make me feel a bit better."

"Read this." Fleur says, handing me the Daily Prophet.

A couple of animated pictures of me flying and one of me sans my left leg. "Makes me look skinny in this one." There is an article about Harry, specifically the scars on his body. "Oh god." I look up at him. "I should have moved them when I morphed."

He shakes his head. "Maybe I won't be sent back to the Dursleys." He shrugs.

Harry hadn't been wearing a shirt during the second task, apparently he is more confident with Hermione at his side, This means that the papers got clear pictures of the old scars.

"I'm going to Quidditch Quality supplies after breakfast, Anyone want to hitch a ride?" I say.

"Yeah, I need some new broom polish." He says. "My Firebolt isn't liking the cold weather."

"Freya appears to be busy." I say aloud.

"Busy?" Hermione says. "Shouldn't she listen to you?" I laugh at this.

"She does her own thing. She listens to me when it suits her." I laugh again. "I'm not even sure what she does all day."

A ball of fire erupts on the table, Freya appears with a sombrero in her head.

"What the?" Harry says.

"_Some wizards saw me and now I'm a Goddess._" She says, shaking the hat loose.

"Something in Mexico." I put the hat on my head. "Ready?" Harry grips my forearm and Freya takes us outside the Cauldron.

"Much better than floo." Harry says.

"Wotcher Tom." I greet the barman on the way through.

"Mornin'. Nice bit o' work in the tournament." He grins at us.

I pat my leg. "Almost made it through in one piece." I wave to him as Harry opens the Alley's entrance.

It isn't too busy today, I get a few people looking at my hat as we walk.

"You don't even own a broom." Harry says to me as we enter the shop.

"Very astute." I quip.

He rolls his eyes. "Why come to a broom supply shop?"

"Goggles." I say simply as I begin to browse the eye wear.

Many types of goggles, ranging from muggle swimming ones to ski goggles. A pair that catch my eye are made of brass and leather. The lenses pop out for special filtered lenses, I go for red ones that are clear for the user. 8 galleons is a hefty price for goggles, but I need them to hold the enchants. I figure I can use the wind blowing in my face to create a weak shield, just to keep bugs out of my mouth and the wind from freezing my face.

"Mr. Jackson." I hear from beside me as I leave the Quidditch shop. A whirl round to see a goblin.

"Er, Hi?" I didn't think they left Gringotts very often.

"Gringotts would like to invite you for lunch." He says plainly.

"Er." I turn to Harry and shrug. "Call the Aurors if I'm not back by tonight I suppose." Before he can protest, Freya swoops and takes him back to Hogwarts before returning to my shoulder. "Lead the way." I say to the goblin.

We cross the road and enter Gringotts, The guards hold their fist over their heart as we walk by the front desk. The whole place is pretty elegant. Marble walls, marble floor. I half expected the doors for the office we pass to be made of marble too.

"We have arrived." The goblin says and points to a door before walking away.

I push it open to reveal a large room with a square table, one goblin sits opposite an empty chair.

"Please, take a seat." He says, waving to the empty seat. I sit down. "I'm sure you're wondering why I have asked you here."

"You want me to do something for you." I say, really I have no clue.

"You are in possession of a very rare set of skills." He says to me. "Gringotts wish to hire your skills."

"No."

"No?"

"I can't do it."

"You don't even know what we want yet." He seems a bit put out.

"Gold, Mr . ?"

"Just Ragnok."

"Gold, Ragnok, is what you want." I lean back in the comfy chair. "Yes, I'm an alchemist. But I'm no Nicolas Flamel. I can't turn lead into gold with any decent amount of efficiency."

"Decent efficiency?" He leans forward.

I rub my eyes. "Alchemy works around a very delicate balance of things, screw something up and you lose all your stuff, possibly your life." I take a drink. "Equivalency is the key. You cannot get more of something than you put in. You can set off a reaction to tip the scale slightly and make the formula output energy once you trigger it, but that's more what I do, not the inactive transmutes that you are looking for."

I look at him for a short while and sigh.

"I could give you …" I tilt my head side to side, throwing numbers together. "A kilogram, maybe two, of gold."

"From what input?" He asks whilst scribbling on paper.

"Pure lead. One ton." I say.

"Metric?" He doesn't look up from the paper.

"Of course." I smirk a bit and pick up a sickle from his table. "There are ways to supplement the balance." I turn the sickle to gold. Ragnoks eyes bulge.

"The enchants." He whispers as I pass him the gold sickle, He holds it to his eye. "You didn't even strip the enchantments off the coin."

"Shifting a few grams of silver into gold isn't too taxing." I say, picking through the food on the table. "I wouldn't have done it if not for this food." In truth it used more power than I should be expending in my delicate state. "This is my speciality. Drawing power from other sources to power my transmutes." I start eating some sort of dried meat. "I trust you were watching my fight against Gringotts' Chinese Fireball?"

I smile widely as he nods.

"Dragonfire is potent stuff, easily able to power a shield strong enough to counteract the fire and then some." I watch him closely as he continues to write. He stops and looks at me.

"Dragons?" He says. "You can use the dragonfire?"

I do some quick counting.

"Get me three dragons, a plate and more of this dried meat and I can give you a kilogram of gold."

He wites on his paper. "Input?"

"Silver."

"Weight?"

"A kilogram." I smirk, He drops his quill and runs to the door, barking orders in Gobbledygook as he went.

5 minutes later I was hand two plates. One with the meat and one without and ushered to a room with three dragons in it. I eat meat whilst inscribing the runes into the other plate. I stand up once I'm finished.

"Zack?" I hear. I turn to see Charlie Weasley.

"Charlie! Good to see you." I shake his hand.

"What are you doing here?" He looks puzzled.

"Watch and learn." I pick up the runed plate and walk towards the dragons.

Charlie tries to tell me not to, but the guards tell him to be quiet.

"Come on dragons." I say loudly. "Give me all the fire you have." I throw a small stone at one of them, it causes all three to inhale huge amounts of air. I step closer to the large silver bar and place a finger on it, ready to channel the dragonfire. "This is pure silver, right?" I call out quickly.

"Er." The guards look at each other. "As pure as they can get it." One of them calls to me.

It'll have to do, the dragons unleash their hellish flames upon me. I hold the plate over the silver bar, easier to transfer the energy the closer it is.

One of the dragons runs out of breath and takes another to begin again, they begin to go on rotation after this. The plate starts to glow and crack.

"Call them off now." I shout of the flames. There is a huge bang and the flames stop, looking around I see they dropped huge doors in the way of the dragons. I pick up the gold bar. "And that, gentlemen. Is how much power is needed to tip the scale in our favour." I hand the small bar to Ragnok, who stares at it slack-jawed.

"Not that I'm ungrateful, but why is it smaller?" He finally says.

"Two reasons." I say, holding up two fingers. "The first is metal purity. The silver wasn't 100%. Very close, but not perfect. The second is that I was going to do a kilogram for a kilogram. Gold is more dense than silver, so the size changed. What you have there is about 980 grams of pure gold. The purity knocked the end amount down as it was burned away."

We walk back to his office. He cradles the gold like a baby.

"How is it that Mr. Flamel can do it so easily?" He asks me.

I laugh loudly. "He has a philosophers stone." I say like it's the most simple thing in the world. "It takes out the requirement of power in the input formula."

"Just … takes it out?"

"Yep. That's how he can do visible transmutes. So a mountain of coal can be turned into an equal sized mountain of gold."

"If we got you more dragons and more silver." He darts his quill across the page.

"No can do." I say. "Equivalent Exchange." I pick up the gold bar. "My time for your gold." I grin at him and slice the gold in two. "A gesture of friendship." I say, putting half on his desk and Freya takes me back to the Great Hall, right on the bench

"Ah!" I hear from beside me. "We were just about to send out a search party." Dumbledore looks out of place sitting at the Gryffindor table. "Judging by the fact you are sitting here, You're affairs went well?" He asks me.

"Three dragons bathed me in fire for about five minutes." I hand him my half of the gold ingot. "I stole this before I left. Let's see, a kilogram of gold is, what, 170 galleons?" Dumbledore merely blinks at me. "So that is about 80 galleons there." Dumbledore taps the block with his wand and his eyes widen.

"'Tis perfect." He whispers. The man clearly knows his metals, he trained under Nicolas Flamel after all.

"100% pure dragonfired gold." I grin at him. "And I'm back in time for dinner."

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><p><strong>AN: Zack won't be falling out of this universe anytime soon, if ever. Honestly I've got no idea if i'm going to pair Zack with anyone. Definitely not Lucy, she is the Devil after all. A nice healthy bit of math in here, although i did take out a lot of the actual calculating parts.**

**Feel free to leave any suggestions, I love reading the reviews. Enjoy.**


	38. Chapter 38: Third Task Preparation

Chapter 38: Third Task Preparation

The weather slowly warms up as the third task approaches. Luckily Gringotts didn't send an army to get back the gold, instead they sent me a letter containing the golden sickle and an offer to buy my part of the dragonfire gold. 100 galleons for it, they seem to value pure metals very highly. If only it didn't take so much power to transmute.

Ignoring the fact that he is a disguised deatheater, Crouch is actually a pretty good teach. His practical approach includes mock duels and shield stamina testing, in which you have your partner shoot spells into you shield to see how long you can hold it, Harry's wouldn't crack until 4 people were going at it.

In the last few days of May, The champions are called down to the Quidditch pitch to be told about the third task, the maze.

Bagman gestures wildy to the tall hedges.

"Can anyone guess?" He smiles at us.

"A labyrinth." Fleur says.

"Correct!" Ludo claps his hands. "The tri-wizard cup will be placed in the centre and each of you will be let in a minute later for each point between your scores." Freya takes me back to the Ravenclaw tower afterwards.

The maze is going to be tough. There won't just be a dragon with an easy way of defeating it. The whole thing is going to be packed with creatures and traps and who knows what else. Flying is out because the maze is probably topped my some sort of shield now, seem to have learnt their lesson after the second task. I'm not sure if I will be able to part the hedges or something, no doubt that they will be inflammable.

I start looking through my trunk for my magical creatures book, maybe if I can find a weakness for things in the maze I can get past them without too much trouble.

"_If they were going to put up a phoenix ward they would have done so by now._" Freya's voice echoes through my head. "_I can go in with you._"

I sag onto my bed in relief.

"At least you can watch my back." I rub my eyes. "I figure that I could go the opposite way to the dragonfire." I say after reading my creatures book for a while.

"_Opposite?_"

"Yeah, there is an abundance of heat energy everywhere." I bounce the ball across my room again. "Absolute zero, Kelvin scale. That's when there is no heat energy, I was thinking in Celsius, that zero meant no energy. I was so blind." I grin at my magical bird. "0 Celsius is 273 Kelvin. So much energy to harness. That would solve the power drain on the suit." I cross over to my desk.

"_Yes, but at the cost of all heat around you._" Freya reminds me. "_and I do mean ALL heat._"

"Alchemy would work fine by itself, but it would be hard to not drain all the heat from around me." I tap my quill on the desk. "Alternatives." I spin my chair around. "An enchant bound to runes that would only drain as much as it needs?" I suggest.

"_But what would you need for an enchant to harness those temperatures?_ _What is there that embodies cold itself?" _

"You're being too dramatic." I spin the quill between my fingers. "Dementors? Nah too warm. A frost atronach? Nice healthy boost from alchemical runes and it would work nicely."

"_It'll be costly._" Freya says as she picks up my Apothecary Exchange sheet. I check through to see if they have anything from a frost atronach.

"They call it 'Frost Ash' in this." I let out a low whistle. "1 galleon to the milligram." I pull some parchment out of my desk and summon a small fluxline, it works as a calculator, who knew? I groan as I finish.

"_Bad?_"

I nod. "I'm looking at a full gram to add a zero kelvin converter cluster to the waistcoat."

"_How much do you have?"_

"About 930 saved from your ashes. Gringotts will probably post their hundred by tomorrow. That's all my savings. The scholarship only covers the time I'm not in school." I whimper as I start filling out the order sheet for the full gram. I put my forehead on the desk.

"_I'll take you after breakfast tomorrow." _Freya says as she nuzzles the side of my head before taking the order form away.

I trudged down to breakfast the next day. All my saving were from Freya's ashes, sure I sold them to an apothecary and I know the ashes saved lives, but I would have liked to have not had to spend everything I had on the Frost Ash.

"Why are you moping?" Hermione asks when I arrive at breakfast.

"I just spent all my savings." I eat toast angrily.

"How much?" Harry asks me.

Freya chooses this moment to drop a large box in front of me, about the side of a shoebox.

"New shoes?" Fleur asks as she arrives.

"If you ever pay this much for shoes you should get your gold back." I grumble, opening the box. A coldness spills out from the box as I lift a small vial out. It looks almost like it's filled with a glowing blue liquid, but it's just very fine powder.

"What the hell is that?" Harry asks, rubbing his hands together. "A dementor's soul?"

"Probably the largest amount of Frost Ash to be in Scotland since Thor threw an ice giant here by mistake." I seal it back in the box, the room heats up again.

"Well, that was wholly unpleasant." Harry says.

"Yes." I agree. "and I'm the one that has to drink it."

"_Drink it!?_" Hermione's eyes almost pop out of her head.

"Well no, but can you imagine how bad that would be?" I reply.

"How much?" A smooth voice asks from behind me. Snape.

I groan. "A whole gram." I say with a frown.

Snape's eyebrow raises slightly before he walks away.

"You chose to get it." Hermione reminds me. "No need to be bitter."

"I'm not bitter." I say bitterly with a bitter expression.

"What's the deal with you and Snape anyway?" Harry asks.

"Potion is alchemy, alchemy is potions." I shrug. "People usually say you learn potions and then specialize in alchemy. I learnt alchemy and it improved my understanding of potions. Potato potato."

"You just said it the same twice though." Hermione frowns at me.

"Tomato tomato." I repeat the word, no inflections.

"You're impossible." Hermione huffs and turns back to her book.

"Why did you buy so much Frost Ash?" Fleur asks. "All of the cooling in our manor is done with three grains."

"So I don't black out when I manipulate cold temperatures. Attuning my tools I suppose." I refined the formula to use slightly less for transfers, so I can weave a bit into the gloves so I can use it move actively. "Don't suppose they'll offer us a map to the maze?" I joke.

"Not bloody likely." Harry says. "Hagrid's been busy with the maze, so it is probably going to have all manner of beasties."

"I've got work to do, I'll see you at lunch." I wave to them.

"Wait." Harry says. "How much did you spend?"

"A milligram cost a galleon." I pat the box. "A whole gram in here." I grimace slightly.

"That's more than the prize money." He laughs.

"I was thinking in long term." I scowl at him and head for my room. The cold is beginning to seep out of the box.

I lock my door and take of my waistcoat, I'll use the right shoulder for this I think.

"You might want to head out Freya, It's about to get cold." I open the lid of the box.

"_Who do you think is going to keep you warm?_" She lands on my shoulder.

I lay my waistcoat out on the desk and take a steadying breath, before I take the stopper out of the vial. The effect is spectacular as the frost spreads around my room in an instant.

"That was pretty awesome."

I measure exactly 100mg of the fine powder and dip the runing thread into the dish. I have to sew the enchants into runes on the waistcoat for it to hold properly. I was never good at sewing.

Several hours later I was done with the first 100mg. About time for lunch.

The next 9 sessions I spread out over the next three weeks, doing both gloves in the last one. The enchant works perfectly, I can choose what part of my surroundings to sap the heat from, I usually opt for any space behind me when flying. Flying works perfectly, the only place it would have some issues is in space, which isn't really a goal. Yet.

The only thing I have to be wary of is causing the air to cool below -220c, else the oxygen actually freezes, which isn't good. Although it's highly flammable, so it could have some use.

As it's nearly the end of term, everyone is taking their exams. As I'm only in the fourth year, mine are more to track my progress. The fifth and seventh years are a bit stressed. O. and N.E. are important.

I went to the Room of Requirements to see what it could do to help me train, turns out it's able to make wooden dummies to attack me. I figured I would try and learn to use my sword one day. I had a wooden dummy come out of the ground flailing wildly at me with a wooden sword. It stung when it hit me. I won't be slicing any spells out of the air any time soon, but I'll be able to stab something effectively.

The Ministry are going all out for this task. Following cameras, huge grand stands, imported animals from everywhere you can name and more. The Quidditch pitch stands were removed somehow and are replaced by even more seats. Tickets sold out too quickly so they had to up scale everything. Not as big as the Quidditch world cup, but still impressive.

The rules for the third task required us to show every item that we were taking into the maze. There was an inspection process, the curse breakers were told to identify all of our items and log them into the book. If they were game breaking items, we wouldn't be allowed them. When I handed them my sword they almost immediately found that it could turn into a dagger, this distracted them from seeing what the sword was capable of. My clothes were just clothes to the untrained eye.

Apparently Harry's cloak only activates for him, much to his surprise, so the judges were forced to allow him to take it in, they didn't know what it was.

That was the day before the task.

"Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen!" Ludo Bagman calls to the cheering crowds, hyping them up whilst we stood in front of the maze.

"Nervous?" Harry asks me.

"Less than I was a month ago." I tell him. In truth I'm freaking out, What if I have to fight a giant spider? A dementor? "You?" I lean against a table.

He pats his cloak. "Hoping this hides me from more than just people."

"Remember the cameras will be on you." I remind him. "Only use it if you have to."

He nods and tucks it into his pocket. I don't even know how it folds like that.

"What do you reckon they've got in there?" Harry asks.

"Blast ended shrewts, acromantula, whatever Hagrid could wrangle up really. Maybe a Cerberus."

"Now it's time for our first champion to enter!" I hear Bagman shout excitedly. "Hogwarts champion, Enter the maze!"

The music is blaring out over the crowds cheering as I walk towards the aisle. I wave to the crowd as I enter. The maze rustles as I cross the threshold, the entrances closes up like a speedy growth of hedge. All the music and voices cut of abruptly.

I'm alone.

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><p><strong>AN: I still can't confirm any pairings with Zack. When i write this story, i only know what is about to happen 10 seconds before i write it down, It's just as much a story to me as it is to you. Bill is a cool guy, but he will not be with Fleur, that much i can say. **

**Third task next chapter, What will happen at the end of the maze? Enjoy!**


	39. Chapter 39: The Third Task

**A/N: The last few chapters have been a bit pants, sorry about that. It's tricky trying to get this stuff to be entertaining to read and i couldn't really get them to flow well into each other. Enjoy.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 39: The Third Task<p>

I've been in the maze for two minutes, wandering aimlessly, and I've yet to encounter anything. This is probably a bad thing.

I set off at a steady pace, running would only wear me out. I think I've got a pretty good chance of winning, but winning might be a bad thing.

I hear a loud clicking noise from part of the maze I just passed, I whip round to see a very large spider.

"You've got to be shitting me." I take a step back. Fight or run?

Two more acromantula crawl over the top of the maze.

"Run, definitely." I say as I turn and run. I hear them right behind me as I turn and wave past parts of the hedges. Maybe a diversion. I stop and draw the heat from the air infront of me, every last bit of it, leaving a solid wall blocking the path.

"That should hold them." I briefly wonder where the air density came from, but I quickly jog away.

I hear a scream a few minutes later. Fleur. I take of in a mad sprint down a pathway, desperate to find her.

I hear a slight whistling sound and dive sideways, just as a yellow spell flies past me, I whip round and fire off 3 stunners in rapid succession. I hear someone hit the ground and crouch low as I move towards the source of the spell. Viktor Krum lays in an undignified heap.

"Shit." I curse. "Viktor." I slap his cheek. "I got you didn't I?" I open his eyelids, they are a milky white colour. "Damnit." I take a step back and point my wand in the air. "_Periculum!_" The red firework detonates above me, hopefully someone can find him. I need to find Fleur though.

A minute later I find Harry as he fires up the firework for Fleur.

"Harry, is she alright?" I ask as I lay down on my front, trying to see under the hedge where Fleur was dragged.

"She was out cold when I got here, Krum passed me." He says, panting heavily.

"I just dealt with him." I glance around. "Looked like he was under a spell, completely white eyes. Something must have found him in here."

"We shouldn't stay in one place for too long." He eyes the hedge walls warily. "Let's go."

We walk on for a few minutes, it's easier on the nerves having someone to watch what you can't see.

"What have you ran into so far?" He asks me.

"Three acromantula. Lots of hedges." I laugh despite our situation. "You?"

"A sphinx asking me a riddle and a boggart." He says. I don't ask what it turned into.

A great wind picks up, rustling the hedges wildly.

"Oh this can't be good." I mutter as the hedges begin to close in. "Run, Harry, Run!" I call out as we both break into a sprint.

The vines whip at our clothes and cut into our skin, I jump over a thick root but Harry doesn't see it.

"Zack!" He calls out. Bugger me, use your eyes.

I flick my dagger into sword mode and swing at Harry's binds, the hedges are getting closer.

"Up you get, more running." I say, offering him a hand, which he gladly grabs.

We burst out into an opening as the hedges stop trying to eat us, I fall over panting.

"Too. Much. Running." I wheeze out. Harry sits next to me and clumsily pats my chest.

"I. Owe. You. One." He says in between breaths. He clutches at his chest.

I look at what he is leaning against. A pedestal with the cup on it, we hadn't even noticed.

"You win." I say from my back.

He looks at me and follows my eyes. I push myself into a sitting position. He shakes his head.

"I'm famous enough as it is, You saved me back there." He pushes against the ground and stands up, offering me his hand.

"Add tri-wizard winner to you title list." I grin at him, grasping his hand and allowing myself to be pulled up.

"I can't. You need the money more than me." He says.

I look around the clearing.

"You're not going to let me lose are you?" I grin at him.

"No, just take the bloody cup. Sooner we're out of this mess the better." He says with a laugh.

"Together?" I look around. "I feel cold coming, I don't like what follows." He snaps his wand up.

"On three." He holds his hand near the cup. "One two three!" We both grip a handle, and it's a portkey. We get dragged through the .. air? In a wild spin of colours. We land on the in the mud.

"We win." I wheeze out as Harry gets up.

"No." He says softly. "I recognise this place."

We're in the graveyard.

"It was a portkey." I look down at the cup. "The cup was a portkey, Harry."

He isn't listening to me. I'm just doing my side character dialogue now anyway. Harry's hand smacks up to his scar. I run beside him and hold him steady.

"He's here." He says through gritted teeth. "It's Voldemort." He whispers.

"Shit." I whisper back. "Follow my lead." I stand up straight as Harry gets picked up by the statue.

Wormtail walks out of the house holding a bundle.

"_Kill the spare!_" A voice hisses.

"_Avada Kedavra!" _

A green spell sails towards me, hitting me straight in the chest. I forgot about that.

I open my eyes. How can I open my eyes? I just died.

"Flesh of the servant. Willingly given." I hear Peter say.

There is a wailing noise from the cauldron and shortly after the whole thing turns into black smoke. A man with pale white skin steps forth.

"Robe me, Wormtail." He says. The snivelling fat man hands him a robe. "I am … whole." He says. "My wand, Wormtail." He grabs the fat man's arm and presses his wand to the mark. I roll behind a graves' headstone. The deatheaters soon fly in and become whole. Voldemort looks around.

"Welcome, my friends. Thirteen years it's been and yet, here you stand as if it were only yesterday." He stares at them. "Where is Crouch? Still disguised as the old Auror?"

Wormtail falls unconscious and Harry falls from the statues grasp.

"I suppose my speech shall wait." Voldemort says.

"Knock knock." I say, perched on the gravestone.

Voldemort stares at me, he just saw me die. Frankly I'm not sure how I'm here.

"Who's there?" He hisses, almost smiling.

"You know." I say, Not smiling is harder than fighting back Gabby's allure.

"You know who?" He says and pauses. Realisation sets in and a cruel smirk appears on his face. He begins to cackle. I can't help myself and begin to laugh.

"Expelliarmus!" Harry shouts.

"Avada Kedavra." Voldemort counters, snapping his wand upwards with impossible speed, the two lines connect creating a golden sphere around the graveyard.

No Cedric telling him to get the cup this time. I'm Cedric this time.

"Reducto!" I hurl the blasting curse at Voldemort. He ends to wand duelling to create a shield for my spell. "_Accio!_" I summon the cup to my hand and dive to grab Harry's leg.

"They're back!" The voice of Ludo Bagman booms over the cheering.

Dumbledore runs over to us.

"He's back." Harry gasps. "It's Voldemort. A graveyard. He's back." He falls unconscious, the blood loss seizes him.

I grab Albus' arm.

"Voldemort, He said something about Crouch and an old Auror. He's back, Albus." I stare him right in the eye.

"Aurors." He calls out. "As Chief Warlock and Supreme Mugwump, I am calling upon you for the immediate capture of Alastor Moody. Take great caution, He will not hesitate to kill you." He stresses the last words. The Aurors look at each other before running off.

More important people run to us, Snape comes looking green and looks at Albus.

Minutes later we are gathered in the headmaster's office.

"Why are we here, Dumbledore?" Fudge says. "We should be out celebrating. The double victory!"

I begin to draw the memory out of my head.

"I think this will help." Albus summons his pensieve and we all dive in. "I think Harry can fill in the parts for when I was … unconscious."

"How is it that you are still here?" Madam Bones stares at me.

I tap my chest. "Only kills one heart." I say simply.

"Why did you joke with the dark lord, boy?" An Auror asks me. Only deatheaters call him 'Dark Lord'

"I had to buy time, it almost worked. Harry had the time to cast a spell, although in effectual."

The door bursts open and Kingsley throws the body of Barty Crouch Jr. on the floor.

"Kissed." He says simply, clearly he witnessed it. "He was polyjuiced as Alastor Moody. The real one is now being seen to."

Albus leans back in his chair looking every second of his 118 years.

"It seems Voldemort has returned." He says softly.

"Returned!?" Fudge says. "Preposterous. That memory could have been faked, an illusion."

"Cornellius." Albus says.

"No. He's not back." Fudge huffs. "I will not tolerate the spreading of rumours." He storms through Dumbledore's floo, Leaving only Albus, Harry and I alone.

"One heart, you say?" Albus says.

"I have two, the curse only stops one. It's working again now." I hold my hand to my chest. 1 2 3 4. 1 2 3 4. 1 2 3 4.

We sit in silence for a minute.

"A knock knock joke?" Harry says, smiling slightly. "You told Voldemort a knock knock joke?"

"Hey! It was the best thing I could think of." I cross my arms. "Cut me some slack, I had just died."

The three of us dissolve into laughter, it took a few minutes to work it out.

"The judges ruled that Harry won the tournament." McGonagall says as she opens the door. She looks at Albus for a moment. "Do I need to call the people together again?" She looks worried.

"I shall do it once Mr. Potter and Mr. Jackson have gone." We took that as our queue to leave.

"The boys-who-lived, huh?" I say, throwing an arm around Harry.

"You're insane. Completely insane." He laughs.

"Did you look at Dumbledore's desk?" He shakes his head. "It was the copy of the Prophet from the second task, You might not be going back to the Dursleys."

We enter the Great Hall and are greeted by applause and cheering. They've got no idea what we have just done. I motion to Harry and begin to clap along with the others. Ludo Bagman comes over and give Harry his prize money.

"Smile and wave." I whisper to Harry. "It's the last day, they needn't know."

He seems to weigh his options for a moment before waving and taking a mock bow.

We go and eat with Hermione and Fleur.

"Good to see you up and about." I say to Fleur, she smiles at me.

"I didn't see what attacked me." Her smile falters slightly. "I suppose it's a good thing that it wasn't me that got to the cup."

"I guess." I say before drinking some pumpkin juice. "I did get killed whilst we were there."

"The rumours are true then?" She hugs me. I put an arm around her.

"I'm afraid so. I'm a badass." I sigh deeply, she swats my arm. "Yes though, Harry and I witnessed the rebirth of a dark lord."

"It was pretty gross in hindsight." Harry chimes in. His eyes widen. "You've infected me with your madness."

Fleur and I leave the Great Hall.

"Leaving tomorrow?" I say just loud enough for Fleur to hear.

She nods slightly. "Oui."

"I'll miss you." She stops walking.

"You're terrible at this." She smiles at me.

"Really? I thought I was doing OK." I pull her into a hug and capture her lips.

"Better." She whispers, I smile into the kiss. "Your copy of me for the second task was a bit off." She takes a step back. "Per'aps we should get better acquainted?"

Last night before she leaves, why not?

* * *

><p><strong>AN: The suit Zack is putting together is like a magical cloth ironman suit. It sucks heat energy in form around is to power it. If Zack had Merlin's stone it would act like an infinite battery. ****I got a neat comment about this so i thought i'd mention it. **

**In my mind polygamous relationships are ... odd. Not wrong, just odd. They can exist in fanfiction well, i'm not sure what's going to happen**


	40. Chapter 40: The End of Year four

Chapter 40: The End of Year four

"Is there such a thing as a half-veela?" I ask Fleur as we lay in my bed the next morning.

She laughs as she traces her fingers across my scars.

"Non. If a girl is born to a veela and any other human then she will be a veela." She says.

"No chance of her not being one?" She shakes her head. "A blessing and a curse." I lift her necklace from the table beside my bed.

"It's a work of art, you know." She says.

"Modestly, I am pretty awesome." I smirk. "We should probably move."

"Oui."

"I'll miss the train."

"Oui."

She makes no effort to move. An owl flies in through the window.

"Come to me dear owl, I'm trapped." I hold my hand out towards it.

The owl stares at me before flying to the bedside table. I retrieve the letter from it's leg. The wax seal is pair of scales. I open the letter, a large silver coin falls out.

"Is that a silver galleon?" Fleur asks whilst eyeing the strange coin.

"That bastard." I say, climbing out of bed and walking to my desk. "He had to one up me didn't he?"

"Who?" Fleur picks the coin up off the floor." What 'appened?"

"I sent Flamel my golden sickle, He sent me a silver galleon." I run my wand over the coin. "Enchants in place and everything. You're not ever supposed to be able to change gold into silver. That cheat."

"You're mad because a master alchemist changed gold into silver." I hear the smile on her lips as I rifle through my drawers for parchment.

"He thinks he's better than me because he has his stone." I ink my quill. "'Dear Nicolas, Fuck you, Sincerely Zack', There we go, that'll teach him." I roll up the parchment and drip wax onto it before stamping it with my DW seal.

"How did you survive in the graveyard?" Fleur asks me as she cruelly puts clothes on.

"You heard my strange heartbeat this morning right?" She nods. "I have two hearts. It stopped one of them, fluke really. The other was fine and restarted the stopped one after a minute or so." I cross my room to the full sized mirror, it's easier to get morphing right when I can see what I'm doing. Spiky blue hair, violet eyes today, pointed ears.

"You're probably the least-human human I've ever met." Fleur laughs.

"Says the veela." I grin at her. "Breakfast?" I pull her into a kiss as Freya flashes us into the Great Hall, cheering and wolf whistles ensue.

"Get a room, you two." Someone says, Seamus I think.

"Oh, we did." Fleur says as we sit down.

"You're looking a bit blue today, Harry." I say to him as I grab some toast.

"We did witness the rebirth of Voldemort last night."

"And you duelled him with that laser thing. I thought it'd turn into Star Wars and that he is your Dad or something." I grin at him, he merely shakes his head. "I'll try and visit you all over the summer, it depends how busy Freya is."

"Did you ever figure out what she does all day?" Hermione asks.

"She travels a lot, heals people, helps out with natural disasters. She helped capture a nundu is some Southern art of Brazil yesterday, She'd be back now but she wanted to stay and heal some of the locals."

"She fought a nundu?" Fred or George asks. "I didn't think anything could fight a nundu."

"Freya was at her peak when she left last night. She'll use every last drop of spare magic she has to heal people before flashing back here to sleep with me, I help her revive faster."

"We should probably go down to the train." The other twin says. "Thanks again Harry." He winks at him.

Hermione looks at Harry. "What did you do?"

He shrugs. "I helped them on their way to a long term goal."

"We'd better get moving, no magical bird to take us to the train."

We head by the Beauxbatons carriage to see Fleur off.

Harry and Hermione hug Fleur and say their goodbyes.

"I'll see you on the train." I tell them. They nod and leave. "I guess this is goodbye?" I say once Fleur and I are alone.

"I wouldn't be so sure about zat." She leans in and demonstrates why they call it French kissing. "Au revoir." She whispers as she smiles and walks away. "You'll miss the train." She calls to me without turning.

"Damnit." I mutter as I start running.

I get to the gates only to realise that I've missed the last cart. Time for some more running.

I'm sprinting as fast as my legs will go as I pass through Hogsmeade, I see the steam billowing out of the Hogwarts Express. The last horn blows, signalling the trains departure just as I get onto the platform. This is too close. The train starts to move as I leap from the platform onto the last cart.

"Nothing to it." I say to myself as I open the door.

Harry, Hermione, and Neville are in the fifth compartment from the end.

"Have a nice run?" Harry says whilst smirking at me.

"Stuck the landing too." Neville says, clapping his hands. "Bravo."

"Yeah yeah." I nod along with them. "I forgot I could fly, silly me." I push Neville's feet off the bench and sit window side. "Wake me up when we get to London." I pull my hood over my head and fall asleep.

* * *

><p>I wake up as the compartment door is slammed open.<p>

"You'd better watch yourself next year, Potter." The sweet droll of Draco's voice fills the air.

I stand up and close the door, charming it locked. I give Draco a small wave.

"If he can get through that, He deserves to come inside." I sit back down. "How long was I asleep?"

Neville looks at his watch. "'Bout half and hour til we're at Kings Cross."

"Goodo. 4 Privet Drive right?" Harry nods. "I'll swing by in a few days." I morph into Harry. "Maybe I can pretend to be your brother or something." We all have a laugh at that.

Hermione looks at the door, Draco has still yet to open it. "What did you do to it?"

"Put a password lock on it and made the door pretty much indestructible. The password is 'open'." I continue to watch his poor attempts to open the door.

"Don't you think he would have said open already?" Hermione asks.

"It's in parseltongue I think."

"You _think_?" She looks at me.

"Well I told it to set itself to that, but I don't know if it worked. I'm pretty sure I can get rid of it because I cast it."

Draco takes a step back and casts a bludgeoning hex at the door.

"He's quite persistent, I'll give him that."

He stops after a few more blasts as Luna approaches the door, she opens it and closes it as if it were nothing more than a mere door.

"Hello." She says, taking a seat beside Neville.

Draco tries to open the door again, it's locked.

Luna looks at me for a moment. "I didn't think men could be veela."

"Maybe it's veela that can't be men." I say without missing a beat.

She smiles at this. "It's quite distracting."

"I can imagine."

"Hermione looks OK." Neville says.

"Some people are more susceptible to it, I have it on as low as I can right now." I explain.

"You can't turn it off?" Hermione asks.

"I can, but I'd need to regrow a lot of my skin." I shrug. "Luna seems to be enjoying it." said girl is now reading the Quibbler upside down with a smile on her face. "How's your occlumency coming on?"

"We don't really have a way to test it, but maybe that's fighting off the allure?" Hermione says.

"The amulets haven't alerted you to any attacks?"

"Mine did briefly in the graveyard." Harry says. "but then my scar started hurting, so I didn't really pay it much mind." He shrugs.

"I guess you blinked and lost eye contact." Neville adds his part.

I see London growing closer.

"Ah, old smoky." I say.

Freya appears on my lap before bursting in flames.

"Speak of the devil and she appears." I say. "Actually, now would be a pretty inopportune time." I glance around.

"and you wonder why people think you're mad?" Harry says with a smile.

"I don't wonder." I look down at the pile of ashes. "Have a nice time?"

"_I hate nundus." _She grumbles.

"I don't think anyone is very fond of them." I rub the top of her tiny head.

I move Freya onto my shoulder and gather the ashes into a small bag.

"Looks like you dropped a couple of feathers before you died." I pick up the two brilliant blue feathers. "Maybe they can fund my next experiment." I smile at the possibilities.

"Dare I ask why you're smiling?" Hermione says with a smile of her own.

"Something magical. Something spectacular." My smile widens.

A thought brutally crashes through my mind. I still have the resurrection stone stuck inside my arm, that might have saved me in the graveyard. I rub my arm, glad that I have it still. The ring that Voldemort used in this universe is just a random one, Albus won't be grabbing it before checking it over this time.

"Zack." I hear Luna's voice.

I look up and see that everyone has already left.

"Thank you." I smile at her.

We exit the train to see a crowd forming around Harry. I kick my allure up high and walk over to Harry.

"I'd get a move on if I were you, I don't like the way both genders are staring at me." He nods and hastily exits the platform. I lower my allure, only women are affected by it now.

"You alright there Luna?" I smile at her. She is particularly susceptible to both mine and Fleur's allures.

"Quite well, thank you." She says.

"I suppose I'll get going." I pat my pocket to make sure I've got my trunk. "Have a good summer, Luna."

She hugs me and whispers "Thank you." In my ear before skipping away. The bullying had stopped soon after we had become friends, Perhaps I scared them away. I pass through the barrier to see Harry and Hermione getting frisky. I wolf whistle, they burst apart.

"You'll frighten the children." I say whilst laughing.

Hermione kisses Harry's cheek and leaves to find her parents.

"Didn't mean to intrude." I say.

"Yes you did." He grins at me.

"Boy!" We turn to see a puce faced Vernon Dursley.

"I'll be by in a week or so." He nods and head towards his uncle, pulling his cart behind him.

The Leaky Cauldron is only a couple of minutes from here, I'll go check in and then go to the apothecary.

"Wotcher, Tom." I greet the toothless barman.

"Always a pleasure, Mr. Jackson." He glances down at the book before him. "Looks like your room is already paid for. Here." He hands me a key, room 666.

"Thanks." I wave as I walk to the stairs.

I arrive at my room and take a steadying breath before opening the door. It's silent. No Lucifer, naked or otherwise.

I set my trunk down at the base of my bed and pick out the bag of ashes and the two feathers before entering Diagon Alley. I won't be able to do any of my school shopping until I get my letter, but I can start to bolster my funds my selling Freya's bi-products.

I'm looking to upgrade the suit to hold some sort of magical battery, that way I can really kick out some high speeds, I'm limited to what energy I can pull from my surroundings currently. I'm not going to be getting my hands on a philosophers stone, but maybe I can find something to hold power.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: The deatheater Auror was merely a symbol of the corrupt Ministry. Zack couldn't exactly call him out without revealing fluxline to this world. I've actually got a vague idea of what's going to happen next chapter, so it should be fun. Enjoy!**


	41. Chapter 41: Dementors in Little Whinging

Chapter 41: Dementors in Little Whinging

The idea of an alchemical battery is a fairly simple one. Infuse a certain ingredient into a gemstone and it holds power. There are many things that can affect the potency of the gem as well as how it acts as a battery. First would be the size, as a general rule the bigger the gem, the more power it can hold. Next is the type of gem, a rare-ish one like a sapphire would hold more power than say, rose quartz, and a diamond is pretty much the best there is.

Different ingredients will change how the gem works as a battery. I have an abundant supply of phoenix ashes, this stuff represents fire in alchemy. Imbuing a gem with fire increases the 'voltage' of the alchemist stone at the cost of capacity. So a fire imbue would suit my needs well, it will be able to channel huge amounts of power very quickly allowing for ridiculous speeds.

I'll need to at the gems to the suits power draw, so that I could have one ready for quick bursts and maybe another for holding up the defences and heating.

A water imbue would work for the heating enchants as it allows for a continuous and steady flow of power, although I don't know what I could use for this enchant.

I think that Merlin's philosophers stone is an earth type, capable of holding tremendous amounts of power. It's probably completely different, as it is breaking all laws about conservation of energy, but it acts like earth and fire combined.

A couple of days into the summer I went to Gringotts to buy a gem, only a rose quartz because I like the colour, the goblins were very happy to supply me with a gem the size of my fist. It took two days to enchant with phoenix ashes, not bad for my first alchemy lapis. It should be able to power the boots and gloves long enough for 10 seconds of pretty quick flying, about 70mph.

I spent a lot of time in Flourish and Blotts. They let people read as long as they don't take the books away. I also debated about trying the resurrection stone as a power source, but that probably won't be good for my soul. I pick up a book about snakes and decide to visit Harry.

"_Ready to go?_" Freya sings into my head.

I pat my pockets down. I like to carry my trunk and sword with me at all times. Constant vigilance.

"_Let's go._" She grasps onto my outstretched arm and flashes me to Harry, who happened to be sitting on a swing.

"Wotcher." I say as if I didn't just appear in a ball of flames.

"Someone could have seen you." Harry says, looking around.

"Nah, Freya wouldn't have taken me here if muggles could see." I sit on the other swing. Wait, swings? Surely this isn't the day.

"Hey Big D." Harry says. His cousin has arrived, this ought to be fun. "Beat up another 10 year-old?"

"This one deserved it." Dudley says, his gang start to laugh.

I'd taken on a tall muscular form before coming here, intimidation goes a long way, I half expected Vernon to attack me if I went into his house directly.

"Five against one, very brave." Harry says. I can't help but laugh at this. Brilliant.

"Who's this?" Dudley says, nodding towards me.

"Zack." I say, standing up. "And you must be Dudley." I shake his hand, he snatches it back.

"You one of … them?" His eyes flick towards Harry then back to me.

"You could say that." I grin at him and take my coat off, throwing it to Harry. "I don't like bullies." I hold my fists up and pop a few fake punches towards his middle. "Fuh, fuh. Put up your deuce."

"What?" He grunts unintelligibly.

"Square go like." I dance from foot to foot.

His gang laughs at me.

"I'm not usually one for fighting, but I'll make an exception for you five." I punch Dudley's arm fairly hard. They seem to have gotten the message.

The blonde one move forward, throwing a hay-maker at me, simply duck and push him, propelling his fist into one of the goons.

"Well, you hit someone, two points for effort." I kick the blonde one in the stomach. Dudley recovers, I move out the way of the first punch and hit another goon in the face, his nose probably won't straighten. The temperature drops slightly, only enough for me to notice. "Harry, time to go." I kick Dudley in the groin. "Now." He throws me my coat.

"What's going on?" He looks concerned.

"Dementors." I grin at him, he pales slightly.

"Here?" He spins around. "How do you know?"

"It's dropped about 2 degrees in the past 20 seconds, that doesn't happen in summer." I look around, no visual yet. "Is there an underpass or something around here?"

"Yeah." He points over to the road. "Just down there."

"Quickly now, we have to set up the trap." I jog at a steady pace towards the underpass. "I'm about to do something very stupid." I tell him, he snorts.

"When has that ever been a concern?" He almost smiles.

"My soul might be eaten this time." I chuckle slightly. "Do not, I repeat. DO NOT use your wand unless my soul is seconds from being eaten." I stare him right in the eye.

"But I can conjure a patronus." He protests.

"And get kicked out of school?" I shake my head. "The Ministry will look for any reason to make you look bad after we claimed that Voldemort is back."

We arrive below the road.

"One way will mean on direction to fight it." I solidify the air at one side of the tunnel, nothing is getting through that without fire. "Assuming there is only one." I chuckle mirthlessly. I know nothing about dementors.

"So what now?" Harry says, looking down the unblocked tunnel. "We can't use our wands, We just wait?"

"In essence." I stare down the tunnel. "The temperature has dropped 14 degrees in the past two minutes. We are now sitting at 4. No wands. Ah, the cavalry."

I grin as the two dementors enter the unblocked side of the tunnel.

"Dementors. Brilliant. I love dementors." I'm sure Harry is slightly unnerved. I pull out my dagger and turn it into a sword.

"Erh, I don't think swords hurt these." Harry says.

"Negative 3 and lowering." I continue smiling. "In my left pocket there is a chocolate frog small chocolate bar. Break it into 4 pieces." He digs into my pocket and starts breaking the bar. "Negative 8." He passes me a quarter. "Quarter each before and after the fight."

We eat our pieces.

"Negative 10 and 20 metres." I say, feeling the cold. "Wand up, just in case."

"This is a terrible idea." Harry says, slumping against the wall.

"Ah, the magical negative thirteen." I look straight into the dementor's hood. "Hello." I grin.

I lash out with the sword, causing the first one to dive backwards, the second tries to take advantage of my opening, only to receive a stab in the … chest area.

"Back ye foul demons." I say, cackling away.

Something hits the frozen air behind me. That is either very good or very bad. One of the dementors dives for Harry.

"Oh no you don't." I stab the sword through it's body, pinning it to the floor, it writhes in what appears to be pain.

The second dementor recovers and dives at me, now unarmed. I turn my glove on, hoping it works like a repulsor. It does, the dementor flies backwards down the tunnel. I pull my sword out of the first and blast it down the tunnel in a similar fashion. The trace only watches for wand magic, in theory I should be fine. The solid air wall bursts into flames. Only a witch or wizard could do that, no dementor from behind at least.

"Backup?" I say, not taking my eyes off the dementors. The sent of raspberries wafts into the tunnel. I grin. "Hello Tonksie."

"Zack?" She says. "What in Merlin's name is going on?"

"No time to explain." The first dementor shoots back up the tunnel, I cut where its neck should be, it merely pushes it back instead of decapitating. "A patronus would be greatly appreciated."

My words break her from her trance and she conjures a glowing blue rabbit, which jumps towards the dementors. I lower my sword so it's pointing at the floor.

"There we go, nothing to it." I look at Harry, He doesn't look too bad. I pick up the rest of the chocolate. "Eat your second piece." I push it into his mouth. "You can have my piece Tonksie." I grin at her, holding the chocolate in my outstretched hand.

"I would have come through sooner." She says. "But _someone _put up a wall of ice."

I smile at this. "It's actually just frozen air, although I'm not sure where to hydrogen went. Burning it could have caused an explosion."

I walk over to the puddle and run my flux hand over it, I should try weaving the spell into the gloves. Hydrogen and oxygen.

"Ah, it mixed and formed water. You were right, it was ice." I stand up again. "What's a girl like you doing in a place like this?" I ask her with a grin.

Harry laughs from the floor.

"That's the best thing I've heard days." I grin at him.

"Mundungus saw the dementors and headed for HQ, I was the only one in besides Sirius, but he was asleep." Tonks explains. "I'm not really sure how my patronus dealt with those two, I could just about manage one in Auror training." She frowns.

"I did stab them a few times." I wave my sword about. "Blasted them down the tunnel too." I pull Harry to his unsteady feet. "Put your arm round my shoulder. Dementors really don't like you."

He chuckles.

"Bit of an understatement. I scared away a couple of hundred of their kind a couple of years ago."

Tonks' eyes widen and she looks at me. I shrug and nod.

"Wand up Tonksie, let's get Harry home." We begin to walk.

"How come the Ministry owls haven't come yet?" Tonks says.

"What do you mean?" Harry says.

"Underage use of magic, they send owls within a minute." She explains, still watching the sky.

"We didn't break any laws." Harry tells her

"But the dementors, and the ice ..." She trails off as her eyes meet mine.

"Bit of nifty alchemy and I already told you, I used a sword." Harry is surprisingly heavy, Quidditch muscles no doubt.

"We have to get Dumbledore to bring out his pensieve, It'll be fun to watch without the effects." Harry laughs brightly. "I think I can walk now." I gently let his weight onto his legs, he gives me a nod.

"There we go, good as new." I slap him on the shoulder. Tonks shoots off her patronus.

"The Order should be at your house soon." She says.

"The Order of what?" Harry asks.

"The Order of who?" I ask.

Tonks groans. "Less questions, more walking."

We arrive at Privet Drive a couple of minutes later.

"Harry!" I hear a voice say. Remus Lupin exits the door of 4 Privet Drive. "Thank Merlin you're alright."

"Get inside." A gruff voice says. "Away from prying eyes." Mad-Eye making a joke about prying eyes? We get ushered inside.

Most of the Order of the Phoenix are currently inside the living room. They're about to move Harry to Grimmauld Place. Moody begins his spiel about formations and polyjuice potions before throwing a load of Harry-sized clothes on the floor.

"Uh, excuse me?" I say from the corner of the room, they seem to have not noticed me. "As elaborate as this all is, very well planned, Might I suggest we ask this magical bird?"

I point to Freya, who is sitting on the kitchen counter beside me.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry about the delay. Enjoy.**


	42. Chapter 42: Grimmauld Place

Chapter 42: Grimmauld Place

Mad-Eye lets out a bark of laughter.

"A fine idea lad." He hobbles over to me. "Can she take us all?"

I look at Freya.

"_Of course I can._" She scoffs. "_What do you take me for? An owl?_" I grin at this.

"Yep. She'll need to know where We're going of course."

Mad-Eye pulls a piece of paper from his pocket and beckons Harry over.

"Read this." He says.

'_The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number 12 Grimmauld place, London_'

"Think about what you just read." He instructs us. Harry's eye's widen. Apparently I already knew. "Did your phoenix get the message?"

"_Of course._" She says.

"I like to think of myself as her human, rather than the other way round." I say. Mad-Eye doesn't even blink. "Yes she knows."

"Potter, Go get your things." Mad-Eye says. Harry heads upstairs with Tonks in tow.

I get introduced to Remus, Sturgis Podmore, Emmeline Vance and Dedalus Diggle.

We stood in silence for a moment.

"What happened to the dementors?" Remus asks me.

"I told Harry not to use his wand." Remus' eyes widen at this. "So I attacked them with a sword." His jaw dropped.

Dedalus laughs.

"A sword? Who is this boy?"

Quicker than the eye can see, I had my sword at his neck and my wand between his eyes.

"Keep on laughing and your soul will be torn asunder and thrown into the darkest depths of hell." I deadpan.

It's not that I don't like being called a boy, it just gets under my skin when people underestimate my abilities. I step back and sheath my weapons. The whole thing happens in around two seconds.

"Coke anyone?" I call as I walk into the Dursley's kitchen.

"Grab one for me!" I hear Tonks call from the stairs.

The Dursley's fridge is very neatly packed, everything in perfect places. Almost Tetris like. I grab two cans.

"Catch Tonksie." I throw one, it hits her in the leg.

"Oi!" She jumps back. "That'll bruise later!" She rubs her thigh.

"Want me to kiss it better?" I grin.

She matches my smile. "Sur-"

"Not now. Let's get going." Mad-Eye says, cutting her off.

"Err, right. Someone conjure a rope or something." I say. Remus supplies us with a rope, I grab one end. "Hang on tight, or you might be throw to the wolves." I grin at them, a few exchange worried looks as Freya lands on my shoulder. We spin and land in the street in front of Grimmauld Place.

"Inside." Mad-Eye barks.

The ragtag bunch of witches and wizards shuffle towards the door.

"Don't go in too far and don't touch anything." Remus says.

Dedalus Diggle took smaller steps in an effort to not be within arms reach of me.

"Harry!" Molly whispers as we close the door. "So good to see you, No trouble?" She pulls him into a hug. "The meeting has just started, You go upstairs, Hermione is already here."

Harry dashed up the stairs.

"Do I go up?" I ask. "Or can I go in there?" I extend my neck to try and see into the kitchen.

"Order members only I'm afraid." Molly whispers to me.

I shuffle through the people, patting Tonks' bruised thigh before I walked up the stairs. The first door was wide open. Hermione and Ginny are talking to Harry already, the room seems to be theirs.

"Wotcher." I say as I close the door behind me.

Hermione runs over to me and hugs me quickly. "Thank you." She says.

"What did I do?"

"Made sure that Harry didn't cast any spells on the Dementors." She scowls slightly at Harry.

"Ah yeah, What a night that was." I smile fondly at the memory.

"What? It was literally an hour ago." Harry says.

"Feels like it was only yesterday." I sigh and dive onto the bed that Ginny is sitting on. "How've you two been then?"

"Hermione only got here yesterday." Ginny says. "We all came here after two days at the Burrow."

"Zack, by the way." I say to Ginny. "I don't think we've met before. I usually talk to someone before laying in their bed."

"I'm Ginny, it's a pleasure to meet you." She lays down next to me.

"We shouldn't have let those two in the same room." Hermione sighs dramatically.

"The meeting is done now." I say.

"How do you know?" Ginny says.

Remus pokes his head round the door.

"Meeting's done." He says and walks back downstairs.

I stand up and move my hair back with my fingers, revealing my pointed ears.

"Woah." Ginny says, leaning in to get a better look. "Awesome." She whispers.

"I know I am." I head downstairs and into the kitchen. The entire Order of the Phoenix currently reside in this room. "Wotcher." I grin. "Professors." I nod. "People I don't know." I nod again.

"Ah, Zack." Albus says. "Thank you for your assistance with the dementors and transportation tonight."

I sit at the table. "No problem, It was fun. I trust Fawkes is well?"

"He had a troublesome burning day." He says. I nod at this.

"Sirius!" Harry says from the doorway.

Sirius sweeps forward and embraces his godson.

I take stroll around the kitchen as everyone catches up, the wards on this place are incredible. I've only really seen a few places, Hogwarts has strong ones, but very loose as there are so many people going in and out all the time. This place is a bunker. I can almost taste the magic protecting it. Fantastic stuff. Not all of them particularly 'light' either.

I let out a low whistle. "Even if Voldemort knew where this was he wouldn't attack it." I ignore their flinches and place ear against a wall. "I don't think he could breach this place with the assembled might of the deatheaters." I knock against the wall. "Brilliant."

People exchange worried glances and take their leave, doing whatever it is they do all day.

"The Blacks were a paranoid bunch weren't they?" I say to Sirius once the crowd had thinned. He laughs loudly.

"That they were." He nods. "and now all the wards are tied to me, I had to turn off some of the info wards, way too much stuff for one person." He leans back in his chair. "What's this about dementors then? Tonks only said she had to scare a couple away for you."

"Nothing much." I wave my hand dismissively. "Bit of sword fighting, bit of alchemy. I always carry chocolate for just such an occasion."

"Sword fighting? With dementors?" He asks.

"It was more Zack attacking them with a sword." Harry chuckles.

"You attacked two dementors with a sword? Unbelievable." He rubs his eyes.

"He almost killed that Diggle guy when he didn't believe him." Harry tell Sirius.

"That was why he was saying you are dangerous?" Sirius asks me.

"I'd say everyone is dangerous." I draw my wand. "We carry a tool of death with us all the time." I shrug.

"Well, you lot had best be off to bed. Harry, your room is beside the girls. Ron should already be there." Sirius turns to me. "Er, nobody expected you so we didn't clear enough rooms." He says lamely. "They're full of dark artefacts, not really safe."

"Eh, It's fine, I'll find a futon or something." I wave to them as I walk up the stairs. Dementor duelling is tiring work. I knock on a door. A very tired looking Tonks opens it.

"Zack?"

"Sorry, didn't mean to catch you right before bed."

"It's fine, whad'ya need?" She beckons me inside.

"Somewhere that isn't filled with dark magic to sleep." I laugh dryly.

"I've got a few sleep potions if you want one." She opens her trunk and throws me a potion. "They're keyed for 8 hours."

"Thanks." I kick my boots off and lay on the bed. "Night Tonksie." I down the potion and fall asleep.

* * *

><p>"Mornin' Zack." I hear as I start to blink my eyes open, Tonks is pressed against my side, having apparently move in her sleep.<p>

"Tonksie." I murmur.

"Those potions were only 6 hours." She grumbles. "I never was the best at potions."

I smile at that.

"Hows the leg?" I poke at her naked thigh.

"Probably sporting a coke sized bruise." She blows air into my face.

"I'll go cook us some breakfast." I roll to the edge of the bed. "I hope Molly or someone has stocked the fridge."

"You can cook?" Tonks asks.

"Alchemy, cooking." I hold up my hands as if weighing the two subjects. "How much harder can it be?" I pull my boots on and head downstairs, I pick up the umbrella stand and throw it into the living room on my way past.

The fridge has random things inside, I grab eggs and bacon and put some toast in the magical toaster, or maybe it's just a normal one.

I hear Tonks tiptoe down the stairs, I look over my shoulder to see her rubbing her eyes and yawning. It suddenly clicks in my head that she isn't morphed in any way, long black hair and a slightly larger chest than normal. She is strikingly beautiful.

She opens the fridge and drinks some pumpkin juice from the carton before putting it away. She walks over to me and wraps her arms around my middle.

"Tonks?"

"I was worried about you last night." She says softly.

I put down the bacon spatula and pull her into a hug. I put my chin on her head, she isn't really tall. We stand there peacefully for a while.

"You know it will take more than a couple of dementors to stop me." I say quietly.

She laughs a little at this.

"I think the bacon is going to be a bit well done." I say with a smile as she steps back. "Get us a couple of drinks."

She nods and goes to the fridge. We sit side by side, opposite the kitchen door.

"Not bad." I say after eating for a while. "Y'see? Cooking is like food alchemy."

"Better than when I burn stuff in my flat." Tonks laughs.

Sirius comes down the stairs stretching.

"Mornin' you two." He yawns. "Oooh food." He helps himself to a plate of bacon and eggs.

"You're up earlier than I expected." I say.

"Don't go spreading it, but 13 years in Azkaban doesn't go away overnight. The food is much better here too. You cook this?"

I nod. "Figured there was food in the fridge for a reason."

"Molly has been cooking since she got here, It's nice to have someone that's not my crazy house elf cooking."

We finish breakfast and an owl come in with the Daily Prophet.

"Anything important?" Tonks asks Sirius.

He shakes his head and tosses the paper across the table. "Same old, same old."

"I don't suppose you've got a big ol' gem sitting around here have you?" I ask Sirius.

"Nothing unenchanted, no. Why?" He raises his eyebrow.

"Just an experiment." I lean back in my chair. "I need something to hold the power for my flying."

His eyes widen a fraction at this.

"Powered flying you say?" A smile spreads across his face as he stands up.

I look at Tonks, She shrugs and turns her head back to the paper. Sirius reappears a couple of minutes later holding a large red gem in his hands.

"Holy crap." My eyes bulge as I see the size of it.

"This thing is a few hundred years old." He conjures a cushion for it and places it in front of me. "I have a flying motorbike." He says proudly. "and this," He taps the gem with his finger. "is the power core."

I hold my hands above it to give it a scan. "Ruby is it?"

He shrugs. "Possibly, gotta be one of the biggest around. Not worth anything at a jewellers because of the enchants."

It's an alchemical lapis, Just like I'd been looking to create. Not exactly how I would have put it together, but it's imbued with fire.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I don't think that Zack and Fleur connect correctly in my head. I'm naff at getting it into writing, so i'm not sure what will happen between the two of them. If it doesn't work out, Who would Fleur end up with? Enjoy.**


	43. Chapter 43: Flight Test

Chapter 43: Flight test

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Sirius asks me.

It's been two days since he pulled the power core from his bike. In that time I've weaved a disillusionment enchant into the suit and made a harness to hold the gem.

We currently find ourselves on the roof of Grimmauld place.

"It'll be fine, if I can fly from the heat of the air, I can use this." I assure him. "What could go wrong?"

"That big ol' rock attached to your chest could explode." Harry says. He wanted to watch, I think he wants to watch me fall.

"I admit it's a bit unstable, but at least it won't run out of power." I pull my gloves on and move my goggles over my eyes. "Here we go."

I just slightly and activate the boosters, I hover just above Sirius' head.

"And disillusion … now." I feel a cold flow over my body as I shimmer out of the visible spectrum. "I'm going for a quick flight, see what this baby can do."

"Merlin." Sirius sits beside Harry. "Try not to kill yourself. Or anyone else for that matter."

The Thames river is only about a minute away at a slow speed, I want to test it out over the water in case I fall. I can use the water to fly to the edge of the river safely. I hover above the river for a moment to make sure all the shielding and concealment enchants are still working. All good to go.

I open up the main channel to Sirius' stone. So much power. I grin and lean forward, turning up the throttle. I burst forwards, water flying up into the air form where I just was. I weave between a few boats and increase my speed further, I fly higher up so I don't hit anything. I'm glad that I did put shields on else I'd be pretty cold. I see tower bridge coming up and fly to the top of it.

It's not the tallest place, but London still looks pretty cool from up here.

"Oi!" I hear a shout from beside me, I almost fall off in fright. I turn to see an old man pointing a wand at me. "'ow'd you get up 'ere?"

"I flew, I flew." I hold my hands up. "I'm a wizard." His wand went down in a flash.

"Sorry, 'bout that. Don't get many folk up here." He laughs. "Sometimes hooligans climb up here."

"Understandable I suppose." I look around. "What are you doing up here?" A fair question in my mind, this isn't exactly a holiday location.

The old man chuckles. "I'm a ward warden for London. It's my job to make sure the wards on buildings of interest are in top nick."

I take a quick look at the wards, they are pretty strong.

"Did you put these up?" I ask him.

"No, These ones were made when the bridge was built. I mainly just make sure the old buildings are ok." He points to some skyscrapers. "We have a couple of guys that watch those big ones. They've had a few attacks over the years." He looks around us. "Where's yer broom?"

"Broom?" I say with a smirk. "Where we're going we don't need brooms." I've wanted to say that since I first designed the flying enchant. I swiftly dive off the tower before he can comment. The water gets closer and closer, or rather I get closer to it, at a few metres above it I begin to fly again, pulling out of the dive. Grimmauld Place's roof comes into view a couple of minutes later.

"How'd it go?" Sirius asks as I land and cancel the concealments.

Hermione has joined them on the roof with food.

"Brilliant." A smile spreads across my face. "If I can alter the energy draw slightly I can probably go even faster." I punch a fist into the air with a jump. "I can probably beat a Nimbus 1900 series in a flat out race and easily out manoeuvre the average flier."

"Average flier?" Hermione says.

"Well, take you as an example." I sit down and help myself to some sandwiches. "Slap you on a Nimbus 2000 and have us both try and catch a snitch, I'd probably win. I've not got enough practice to be any good." She nods. "Now, if I could go faster, say the speed of a Firebolt, and we put Harry on the Firebolt against me. Harry would win 10 times out of 10, He's more than above average at flying a broom."

"You reckon you can get to the speed of a Firebolt?" Harry asks.

I tilt my head from side to side. "I only use runes on my boots currently, if I really refined the formula I could outstrip a Firebolt." I smile. "Now, if I threw in say, a few phoenix feathers." I lean back onto my elbows. "I don't think any broom manufactured in the next few years could beat me."

"What about it's use in Quidditch?" Sirius asks, drinking a brown liquid.

I shake my head. "It's broom sport. Maybe we could have a little game some time, but in a real game I wouldn't be allowed to fly like this. Quidditch isn't really my thing anyway."

I throw the gem to Sirius.

"Ever figure out what recharges it?" He asks.

"Draws energy in from whatever it's near and you could put it in a fire to make it charge faster. Wouldn't stand up to dragonfire, but not much does."

We chat for a while and eat the picnic food. Sirius says that he can't go out as he is still a criminal in the eyes of the Ministry.

"Molly will probably want you lot to clean the house some more." Sirius says, we head back inside to make the house more inhabitable.

* * *

><p>I spend the next few weeks amongst the Order of the Phoenix. I tried to talk my way into being in the meetings. I even said I have a phoenix so I should be allowed, it almost worked.<p>

Nearing the end of August, the Ministry passes a law that enables them to appoint a teacher should Dumbledore not be able to find one. This means I can enjoy the company of Dolores Umbridge this year.

More Order members are going to arrive soon, extra security for when we go to Diagon Alley. Our supply list arrives tomorrow, why Albus can't just give them to us now, I don't know.

I hear shuffling in the hall way, I'm currently sat at the kitchen table.

"We're here." A tired voice calls out, Remus.

"You smell like a wet dog, Moony." Sirius says as he walks down the stairs, embracing Remus. He does smell like a wet dog actually.

There is brief chatter as the newly arrived Order members enter the kitchen, that's when I smell another person.

"Is that a non-enticing allure I can smell?" I grin as Fleur breaks through the crowd of people.

"Oui." She squeaks, I wrap my arms around her. She is shivering.

"Cold?" They must have walked through the rain. They still haven't grasped the concept that Freya isn't as busy as Fawkes and can act as transport.

"Oui." She holds onto me tightly, eager to warm up. "They said that a warming charm might have alerted people to our presence." She scowls at the others. I tap her on the back with my wand, she sags as the warmth spreads across her body. "Merci."

"Order bedrooms are on the first floor, anything higher is off bounds." Sirius tells the newly arrived members. It is his house after all, the Weasleys count as Order members still. Hermione and I have our own rooms on the second floor, along with Sirius and Harry. I usually end up sleeping with Tonks though, just sleeping, cold beds aren't nice.

"How'd you get here then?" I ask Fleur after sitting back down.

"Brooms." She frowns.

"From where?" I try not to smile.

"Only about an hour, but it was raining." She sulks, I give her my coat. More as a friendly gesture, it's got cooling charms so it won't actually warm her up.

"So they figured that 7 people on brooms was more inconspicuous than a warming charm?"

She nods angrily.

"How's Gabby been doing? And the necklaces too, all fine?" I ask.

Fleur grudgingly stops sulking and begins to animatedly describe how much of an impact the lack of allure has been.

"We visited a veela colony, a safe haven for our kind. They were fascinated by the amulets." She smirks at me. "Oh, the things they said they would do to you to get their hands on one of these." She toys with her necklace.

"Those women shouldn't be offering their bodies to a young boy as payment." Molly huffs. Bill or not, she won't like Fleur.

"Er right." I say, swallowing loudly. "And where would this colony be? Y'know so I don't accidentally walk into it."

"Somewhere in Southern France." She smiles sweetly at me.

"Where precisely? So I don't walk into the lions den, so to speak." Sirius starts laughing madly at this.

Remus shakes his head with a smile.

"Are you sure you didn't accidentally have a son, Padfoot?" He says.

I morph into a younger version of Sirius and stand beside him.

"They say the Blacks have had more metamorphs." I throw and arm round his shoulder.

"The likeness is uncanny." Fleur says with a smile.

I sit back down at the table. "It'd be too much work making more and besides, they're meant as gifts, not merchandise."

Fleur beams at me. "Gabrielle would like to thank you in person when you next meet."

I gurgle instead of forming words. Gabrielle is actually 15, despite her previous appearance. Veela look like children until they mature, when they turn into a smoking babe.

Fleur bids us goodnight, She is on guard duty tomorrow, so she has to be rested.

"I don't know how you do it." Sirius says.

"What?" I ask.

"Resist an offer like that." He laughs quietly. "I've heard about the veela colonies, hundreds of naked veela walking around." He lets out a dreamy sigh.

"Hundreds?" My mouth dries up.

"Naked, in the hottest part of France." He shrugs. "Ah well. Night." He waves and heads up the stairs.

I drop my head onto the table. Molly let's out an angry puff of air and goes upstairs too.

"Suppose we're getting up early. I might as well head up." I trudge towards the stairs.

I fish a sleep potion out of my trunk and go to sleep.

* * *

><p>"Zaaack." I hear a singsong voice. "Time to wake uuuup."<p>

"Fivemoreminutes." I grumble.

"Your letters will be here soon." Tonks' voice this time.

I roll across my bed and land on the floor. "I'll be down shortly." I wheeze. Pain is an effective way to wake up.

"You're mad." Tonks' mumbles as she walks away.

"I heard that." I call to her.

I pull my boots on and try and search for a shirt.

"Screw it." I huff when I can't find one. I head down for breakfast. "Wotcher." I say as I enter the kitchen.

I get a round of half-arsed 'mornings'. Ginny's eyes rake over my body. Maybe I should have put a coat on or something.

"You should put a shirt on dear, you'll catch something." Molly says without turning around. I sit opposite Ginny. I'll catch something alright.

Molly puts a plate of food in front of me, service with a smile.

"Reckon you'll make prefect this year?" I ask Harry and Hermione.

"I think I've broken every rule that Hogwarts has." Harry laughs. "I even killed a Professor in the first year." He grins. "How about you? Ravenclaw prefect?"

"I don't know, I'm not really an authoritative type anyway." I shrug.

An owl flies through the kitchen window holding a bundle of letters.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Not sure if Zack is going to be a prefect, he isn't really an active Ravenclaw. Naming chapters is hard work**

**Sorry if i didn't mention it at the time, but the old universe is gone. It revolved around Zack, so it disappeared when he did.**

**Enjoy.**


	44. Chapter 44: The Diagon Alley Trip

Chapter 44: The Diagon Alley Trip

"Your letters are here!" Molly calls up the stairs.

Harry unties the pile of letters and picks out his and Hermione's, then tosses mine across the table to me. Harry opens his letter and pulls out two badges.

"I'm a prefect." He says, surprised. "and Captain of the Quidditch team." He stares at the badges.

"I'm a prefect too!" Hermione cheers, pulling a stunned Harry into a hug. She reads through her test results and frown slightly. "An E in History of Magic."

Harry leans over and laughs. "You got an O in everything but you focus on the E?"

I pick up my own letter. "Time to asses to damage." I open to top of the letter, a badge falls out. "What?" I look at the envelope. "There isn't even a hole in the bottom." I grumble, throwing the envelope onto the table.

"_You're _a prefect?" Hermione's eyes bulge.

I pick up the badge. "Prefect Zack Jackson." I read. "I almost feel sorry for the first years."

"Does it say who the other Ravenclaw is?" Harry asks. I read through the letter, nothing.

I shake my head. "I'll find out on the train." I pick up my results sheet. They are just for the mock exams we did, but it's nice to know where you are academically.

Transfiguration – O

Charms – E

Potions – O

History of Magic – A

Ancient Runes – O

Arithmancy – O

Defence Against the Dark Arts – A

Herbology – A

"Four O's, and E and three A's. Not exactly Ravenclaw Prefect material." I laugh.

I pass Hermione my letter, who had been eyeing it.

"I cheated in Transfiguration anyway."

"Cheated?" Harry asks.

I morph into a copy of McGonagall.

"Doing this every day makes the practical side incredibly easy." I laugh and change back. "As for the other O's, Not to blow my own horn, but I'm an alchemist." I lean back and admire my Prefect Badge. "How did the great and powerful Harry Potter do?"

"E in potions and CoMC." His eyebrows raise. "A's in Herbology, History and Divination. O's in Transfiguration, DADA and charms." He reads.

"Not bad, just have to do a repeat for O. ." I grin. "Ginny? Do alright?"

"E's across the board." She shrugs, still eyeing me like if a slab of meat.

"I'll have a horde of first year Ravenclaws to do my bidding this year." I throw the badge in the air and catch it as it comes down.

"You're a prefect, not some sort of Ravenclaw overlord." Hermione says.

"Eh, semantics." I pick up my book list.

Ron enters the kitchen and begins to eat, opening his letter as he does.

"We'll be leaving in an hour." Molly says. "Best you all go and get ready."

I scoop up my badge and head to my room to find some clothes. Wand, trunk, sword, and clothes. All good. I head back downstairs, but a room I pass has it's door slightly ajar, I enter the room.

The room has been cleaned, except for a cupboard, which is shaking violently. My stomach flips over and I almost vomit at the thought of opening it. A boggart. The cupboard continues to shake.

What would it turn into? The thought threatens to empty my stomach. A dragon? No chance. I've literally danced with the devil, so not her. A weeping angel? No. Many different ways to defeat one using magic.

The cupboard stops rocking. Dead still.

_Knock_

_Knock_

_Knock_

I'm not good with fear. It's not something I'm very accustomed to. Whatever it is that I fear most is currently inside that cupboard. Sure it's just a boggart, but it will look real enough. I don't think a riddikulus charm will quite cut it. Fire. I need fire. I draw my wand a point it at the cupboard. I hope boggarts don't like fire.

"_Ignis._" Dark red and black flames blow out from the tip of my wand, the whole room heats up. Sweat covers my body as an unearthly scream wails from the burnt cupboard. I tear my wand away from the fire, cutting it off.

I lay on the floor for a moment, panting heavily. I wave my gloved hand to cool the room down.

"Zack?" I hear a voice call. "We're leaving early. Hurry up." Ginny can't enter the second floor. I stand up and walk down the stairs.

"Why are we going early?" I ask her ask we head down to the ground floor.

"Mad-Eye just got here, says this is a prime time to leave." She shrugs. I pause for a moment to take in her form as she walks into the kitchen.

"Wotcher, Mad-Eye." I say as I walk in.

Both his eyes land on me. "Interesting way to deal with a boggart." He says with a gruff voice.

"I don't think the conventional method would work for me." I smile at him.

"You don't know what it turned into, do you?" He continues to stare at me.

I shake my head. "And I never want to." He nods. I run my fingers through my hair. "You'll need a new cupboard, Sirius."

"Eh?" He says.

Freya bursts into the kitchen.

"Looks like out ride is here." I chuckle.

"Fleur and Tonks will meet us at the apparation point beside the Leaky Cauldron." Mad-Eye says. He produces a length of rope from his pocket. "Grab on."

"How did I get mixed up in all this?" I sigh dramatically.

"You were face down in the mud and we picked you up." Harry laughs. Freya grabs my shoulder and we appear beside the Leaky Cauldron.

"Land ho, Captain." I say as Mad-Eye retrieves the rope.

"Let's go." Mad-Eye says, leading us into the Alley.

"Thanks for the subtle wake up call." I say to Tonks and Fleur.

"Tonks wanted us to jump onto your bed." Fleur laughs.

"That wouldn't have been entirely unwelcome." I smile.

"I'll go buy your book, you lot go and get your robes." Molly suggests. The Order vanguard follow us.

"More for Hogwarts." Mad-Eye says to Madam Malkin.

"This way, please." She says, guiding us to her assistants.

"Arms up." I get instructed by an assistant. I shorten my hair to keep it out of the way.

"I'll need robes that expand, so I don't try and morph in tiny clothes." I tell her.

"How big are we looking at her?" She asks, picking up a quill and a small book.

"Eh, around 12 feet, just to be safe." She takes down the new numbers and tells me not to get in the way whilst the others are being measured.

I toy around with my hair colour in a mirror. "Whady'a think Tonksie? Orange spikes?"

She sit beside me on the bench. "I think I'm sticking with long and red today." She turns her head side to side, making sure her hair I right on both sides.

"Ooh, I like this green." I rake my fingers through the new dark green hair, adding in different shades.

The staff have begun to make everyone's robes now, it's pretty amazing to watch magic put clothes together. My robes seem to fold into themselves due to the extra fabric.

"We'll meet up with Molly now." Mad-Eye marches us through the door. As we walk down Diagon Alley, Mad-Eye walks beside me. "What was that fire you used earlier?"

"I don't know." It's the truth. "I just needed fire."

"There aren't many spells that would make black flames." He says in a low voice.

"Maybe I made a new one then." I murmur to him.

We enter Flourish and Blotts, not as busy as I'd have thought. I browse through the books for a while. Nothing practical on alchemy, not a surprise really, it's almost a dead art.

"Can I help you?" I hear from beside me. Shop assistant, no doubt.

"Unless you have a hidden section on alchemy, I don't think so." I smile and turn to her. Chloe Turpin stands before me. "You look familiar." I say. Dammit.

Chloe looks around my face and smiles. "The Hogwarts champion." She says. "My sister and I look similar, you're both in the same year. Chloe Turpin, by the way."

I read off the spins of the books.

"Lisa right?" She nods. "I think we've spoken a couple of words to each other."

"She says you don't study enough." She smirks at me. "She just made prefect today."

"Oh? I'm the newest male prefect for Ravenclaw."

Chloe laughs. "She won't be happy with that. She isn't overly fond of you."

"Day one animosity." I groan.

"It's not that bad, She doesn't dislike you, nor like you." Chloe says.

"If you two do look alike, I'm glad that I'll be spending late nights with her." I grin.

"Zack?" I hear someone call my name. "You down there." Deep in the bookcases, not much lighting.

"I'm seducing someone, give me a minute." I call back, not looking away from the books.

"Seducing me?" Chloe says with a smirk, her cheeks slightly pink, only noticeable due to my altered eyes, giving me better vision in the dark.

"Is it working?" I pick up a random book.

"Almost." She smirks at me then turns and walks back to the front of the shop.

I buy the book and meet up with the others.

"What did you get?" Hermione asks, eyeing the book.

I look at it for the first time. 'Magical Theory. G. Grindlewald.' I'll be damned.

"Some magical theory book, figure it'd help in arithmancy." I shrug.

"Remus got your potions ingredients." Tonks tells us.

"Mr. Jackson." Someone calls me, I turn and grin.

"Mr. Goblin." I shake his hand, much to his surprise.

"Gringotts would like to invite you for lunch."

I look at Mad-Eye, he seems to be in charge. His magical eye spins over the goblin, He nods.

"Lead the way, Mr. Goblin." I gesture my hand towards Gringotts and follow the small man.

We walk past the desks and journey down long corridors of marble to Ragnok's office once more. I push the door open.

"Wotcher, Ragnok." I greet.

"Good afternoon, Zack." He gestures to the seat opposite him. "As you are no doubt already tallying up prices for your time in your head, I will 'Cut to the chase' so to speak."

I smile. Paying me for my time sounds good.

"Can you transmute alloys? Or into alloys I should say." Ragnok asks.

"I can only do steel. I don't know enough about any others, maybe bronze."

"Perfect steel?"

"That would depend on your definition of perfect steel." I sit forward and watch Ragnok for a moment. "Perfect 2% carbon steel. An input of nothing more than iron."

He picks up his quill. "Loss rate?"

"I'd need to see the iron first." He produces an iron bar from his desk drawer.

I turn the metal over in my hands a couple of times, scanning it form within my hands. Very good stuff for goblins. I run my tongue up the bar and smack my lips.

"10% loss using dragonfire." I put the bar back on the desk.

"How many dragons for a kilogram?"

"Dragons as a unit of measurement." I grin. "What a time to be alive." I close my eyes and drum my fingers on his desk. "13."

"Come along." Ragnok says.

We exit his office and take a few turns until we arrive at a door titled 'The blast chamber'.

"Built especially for this." He announces as we walk in.

There is a raised platform in the centre of a large circular room. Thirteen dragons are already here.

"Very good." I say with a smile. The metal is already on the platform. I stride forward.

"Do you require a plate?" Ragnok calls. Silly man.

I clap my hands, expecting the dragons to blast on my command. Sadly they don't.

"Begin." Ragnok calls.

All thirteen unleash their hellish flames on me, I begin to reroute it into the iron. Dragonfire is an easy way to make carbon steel. I think the dwarves use dragons in their smelteries. The process only take a minute.

"One kilogram of steel." I call out as the dragon doors shut.

Ragnok walks towards me with a large chest and drops it by my feet. "This is worth more to you than gold, I suspect."

I crouch down and push the lid open.

A very large sapphire.

"Wicked."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I don't really know how i managed to do chapters as fast as i used to. Enjoy!**


	45. Chapter 45: Gambit

Chapter 45: Gambit

"What's in the box?" Harry asks when I meet them outside the bank.

"Just a little something for an experiment." I shift the box under one arm.

Mad-Eye laughs. "Little? Hah! Just make sure I'm far away when you try it. I remember sitting in on one of Albus' 'little' experiments. Best be getting back now." His eye spins around, no doubt looking out the back of his head.

Moody draws out the piece of rope again and we huddle together. Freya deposits us straight into the living room in Grimmauld place. One of them anyway.

"Gah!" Somebody squawks. "Look at what's happened now!"

I turn to see Sirius kneeling in front of a pile of playing cards, it looks like he'd been trying to stack them.

"Those are exploding cards, Sirius." I tell him. "They'd just explode if anyone said snap." To iterate my point, a couple of cards popped.

"That was the idea!" He says enthusiastically. "I build the tower, say the restart phrase and BLAM!"

I pull out my wand. "I'm not sure if I can do this really." I wave my wand, hoping to build a tower. The cards slide over each other and start to build a triangular tower. "There we go. How do you set all the cards off?"

"Reset!" He cheers. The tower blows itself apart in a spectacular fashion. Sirius gets up and dances around the room.

"I wonder what makes these things snap." I say after most of the Order clear the room. Harry and Hermione exchange a look and duck behind the sofa as I pick a card up.

"Is this a good idea?" Harry asks me.

"It'll be fine." I inspect the card. "Runes check the card above and below. Check for a match, if there is one they are primed, then it listens for the word snap. The word reset makes them all go off. But what … ah! There it is." The rune cluster than makes the bang. A smile spreads across my face. "How does a super charged exploding snap card sound?"

Hermione groans from behind the sofa.

"Awesome!" Sirius claps his hands. "How much stronger?"

I run my finger across the card, causing it to glow. "Oh, a fair bit stronger. Add in a contact trigger and ..." I trail off and flick the card at Sirius.

His eyes barely have time to widen as it hits him in the chest and explodes, knocking him off his feet.

"Oh god." Harry says with a laugh.

Sirius is writhing on the floor in laughter.

"Merlin, if only we had those when we were in school." He pats his body to make sure he is in one piece. "Where'd the card go?"

"It uses itself up." I say whilst gathering the other cards up into a stack. "You've got a target practice room in this house? I can charge the whole deck and we can play around."

Sirius' eyes light up at this. "Follow me." He quickly leaves the room. "The targets can be set to move too."

We walk down a long hallway until we reach the target room, it's like a muggle shooting range.

"This is pretty cool." I say as we enter.

"Yeah, I used to spend hours in here in my youth." He vaults over the counter. "I don't know about you guys, but I can't throw a card very far, so we might as well be inside the range."

Sirius conjures a small table for the cards, I start the charge them up. It only takes a touch now I understand it, If I tried to do the whole deck at once I'd probably end up making a big bomb. I sit against the wall once I'm finished.

"Give me a minute to catch my breath." I say. "Not all of us can be Harry Potter." I laugh.

"I'm not that powerful." Harry mutters, picking up one of the playing cards. "How do these work then?"

"Press the centre of the card between you finger and thumb, then just throw it." I explain.

Harry squeezes the card, causing it to glow, then flicks it towards a target. There is a loud bang and the target has a small scorch mark on it.

"Awesome!" Sirius says, grabbing a card of his own.

"oh, and don't drop them after you've turned them on." I say. "Might lose a toe."

Sirius' card impacts against the target, leaving a red scorch.

"Red suits make red marks?" Hermione asks me, gingerly picking up a card.

I shrug. "Apparently."

She pinches the card and throws it at the target, hit's it right in the centre. I stand up and flick a couple myself.

"Sirius, stand down the range a bit and bring up a protego shield." I say as I pick up one of the last cards.

He looks confused for a moment, but complies. "_Protego._"

I throw the card at the blue dome and it passes straight through, throwing Sirius to the floor.

"The card is solid, not a spell. So it gets past a spell shield." Hermione says whilst Harry laughs at his godfather.

"I think that one packed more of a kick." He says as he sits up.

"One card left." Harry says, passing it to me. I raise an eyebrow. "How strong can one card be?"

"Ah." I smile. "Now you're speaking my language." I jump over the counter. "You'd best take cover."

They scramble over the counter, hiding behind the enchanted barrier.

"Harry, You're going to need to charge this one." I hold the card up. "Just grab onto my arm and pull away when you feel the drain." He nods and holds on.

It only takes a second to manipulate the enchants to make the new charged card, Harry pours more power into the card than I have in my whole body.

"Ok, stop." I say, shaking his hand off. "Don't want to kill us. I stand up and activate the card. "Fire in the hole!" I throw it down the range and duck.

There is a loud bang that leaves my ears ringing and when I open my eyes the whole room is covered in ashes. When my hearing returns I can hear Harry coughing.

"Might have put a bit too much into that one." I groan, laying flat on my back.

I hear Sirius wheezing in a poor attempt to laugh beside me.

"No one dead?" I say. "Can anyone conjure some water? I think my lungs are dying."

Harry makes some glasses for us and Hermione fills them with water. The cool liquid is a blessing.

I take a look down the range, the previously white room now looks like a bomb went off. It kind of did.

"Wicked." I hear two voices from the door. Fred and George apparently heard the explosion.

"Zack." Hermione says. "Do not. I repeat. DO NOT. Give the twins any of these. Ever."

"Don't worry about that." I laugh. "Harry is the only one that can charge a card that strong."

"I don't even feel drained." He says.

"Oh god." I wheeze again. "Harry and his monstrous powers. Don't give him to the twins. I could charge a few to that strength with Sirius' motorbikes core."

"We just came to give you this chest," Fred says.

"Mad-Eye says it was yours."

"You tried to open it, didn't you?" I ask.

"Well we couldn't leave ..."

"A poor chest sitting there, could we?" Fred looks appalled at the idea.

"Thanks for the delivery then." I take the chest.

"What's in it anyway?" Harry asks.

I slide the deadlock open and pull out the giant sapphire.

"That makes Sirius' one look like a peanut." Harry laughs.

"It's rather impressive, isn't it?" I rotate it in my hands. "I'll have to wait a few months before Freya leaves enough ash behind to enchant it." I place it back inside the chest. "Then it'll take months to actually enchant. Gonna be fun."

"What's the bottleneck for enchanting it? Power?" Hermione asks.

"Once I draw up the matrix, which will take me a while to figure out, the only thing needed is power." I lock the chest. "I can design the enchants whilst I wait for the phoenix ash to accumulate. Freya could force a burn, but they are rather unpleasant. She would have to age her body at a ridiculous rate until it died. She'd be out of action for a while. I'd never ask her to do that anyway."

"Could I help?" Harry says. "With the enchanting bit I mean, you say I've got power, no point in letting it sit there."

My eyes widen at this. With Harry's help I could get the enchanting done easily, depending on how much he actually has.

"That'd be great actually, after I have enough ash I'll come and get you." This alchemical lapis is going to be able to hold so much power and channel stupid amounts at once. When I upgrade the boots and gloves with a few phoenix feathers I'm going to be able to fly really fast.

"Anyway, Mum says dinner will be ready soon." The twins take their leave.

"I'll clean this room up tonight." Sirius says. "The order members like to practice in here." He looks along the scorch marks on the walls. "Having one of those blasting cards slip through your shield in a duel would be a pain." He looks at us. "The normal ones, not this Harry-power one." He grins.

"I think either one would throw you off. I might throw one at Malfoy this year." Harry says will a smile.

"You're a prefect now, you can't go attacking people." Hermione chides him.

"Our dear Draco is probably a prefect now too." I remind them. Harry groans.

"We should get cleaned up." Sirius gestures to our soot covered clothes. "Molly won't appreciate us dragging this through the kitchen."

We go to our various bedrooms for new clothes and a shower. I'm not entirely sure where all the ash came from, but it got everywhere.

I should keep a charged deck on me all the time. It'd be a good distraction in a fight, give me time to escape or give enough of an opening to hit them.

The smell of food wafting into my room reminds me of how hungry I am. I grab a shirt and head downstairs.

"Smells great, Mrs. Weasley." I say. I suppose that cooking everyday for however long she has means she's good at it.

"Thank you dear." She smiles at me. "It'll be a few more minutes, could you get the drinks ready?"

I open the fridge and retrieve the jug of pumpkin juice. I wonder where they grow all the pumpkins to supply everyone in Britain with the juice. I pour the drinks and sit at the kitchen table.

"All freshened up." Sirius says from the doorway.

"We should have a look around for another deck of exploding snap. Y'know give us something to do on the train." I say to him.

Exploding snap is a popular pass time amongst wizards, the guy that invented them is probably minted now. They only have enough power for a couple of hundred 'snaps' and the production of them is cheap, easy, and most importantly, fast. Because of this they have no protections on the charms, they are easy to manipulate.

Molly begins to serve the food as the others arrive. Ginny sits opposite me, her clothes are far too small for her. I'm completely OK with this.

"What was all that banging earlier?" Molly asks once we're all seated, she looks at the twins.

"Wasn't us this time!" They chime together.

"We were just playing some exploding snap." Harry says.

"With a bit more emphasis on the _exploding _part." I add with a smile.

Arthur enters from the floo and takes a seat.

"Long day dear?" Molly asks as she kisses him on the cheek.

"Someone was under the imperius curse and tried to break into … the Ministry." He stops himself from revealing too much

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Back to Hogwarts next chapter. Enjoy!**


	46. Chapter 46: The Daughters of Black

Chapter 46: The Daughters of Black

"Zaaaaaack." I hear as I wake up. "Time to get uuup." I really should start locking my door.

The as yet nameless bed intruder has apparently opened my curtains, my room is too bright. I stick my arm out to figure out who it is. I poke around and feel a body, I move my arm around the hips and pull them in.

"What time is it?" I ask.

"About half 7." The nice smelling girl says.

"Is it the first day of school?"

"Yep." She says, popping the last letter.

I groan and open my eyes. Ginny is in my bed.

"This is either an elaborate ruse by Tonks, or Sirius has altered the wards to let you in here." I rub my eyes with my free hand.

"He let me come up this morning."

I begin to climb out of bed, Ginny's arms are wrapped around my neck.

"My allure turned up when I was asleep, didn't it?" I support her back so she doesn't fall.

"Oh yes." She whispers into my ear. I turn it down.

"You're more than welcome to join me in the shower." I say as I put her down.

"I'll just chill in here." She sits on the chair beside Freya's perch.

I have a long shower to wake me up. In a few hours I'll be introducing a few students to their home for the next 7 years. No pressure. Always keep underwear in your bathroom. That way, in situations like this, you can at least have some boxers on.

"Sorry about that." I say as I walk back into my room. "It doesn't usually turn up in my sleep."

She shakes her head. "It's fine. It was fun." She smiles.

I walk over to my cupboard to pick out some clothes. My trunk is packed with my uniform and most of my clothes already, I've only got a black shirt and some jeans. I put them on and don my waistcoat.

"Why do you always wear that waistcoat?" Ginny asks, enjoying watching me get dressed no doubt.

"Excluding the fact it stops fire hurting me and powers my flight?" She nods. "It looks good." I pull my boots on. "Shall we?" I wave my hand to the door and pick up my trunk.

"Morning." Molly says as we sit at the kitchen table.

The food is already set out on the table. Molly is an angel, a very loud overbearing angel. I sit down and fill up.

"Reckon we'll be late for the train?" I ask Ginny. She giggles.

"We've never _not _been late." She snorts.

"Three hours to get ready." I help myself to more bacon. "I reckon we'll get there with 10 minutes to spare."

"If we're lucky." Harry says as he enters the room.

"Good morning, my black haired amigo." He sits down, rubbing his eyes and barely acknowledges me.

"How are our two newest prefects doing today then?" Fred says from the doorway.

"You're not going to make it easy on us are you?" Harry says.

Fred and George look at each other for a moment before turning back to Harry. "No." They grin.

"Hermione probably knows some interesting hexes, My advice is to not get caught doing stuff." I smirk at them. "Maybe direct them away from her."

They seem to hold a silent conversation with each other for a moment before nodding.

"Probably for the best." They say together.

"Who do you think the new DADA professor will be this year?" Harry asks after Hermione joins us.

"You saw the 'Educational Decree' they passed right?" I ask, everyone nods. "Probably some Ministry official. Maybe this one can finally off you, Harry." He laughs at this.

Molly glances up at the clock on the wall. "You should all go and pack your trunks, we'll be leaving at 10." She marches us up the stairs.

I'll miss this insanely comfortable bed, I wonder if all the other rooms are like this.

"Sirius!" I call out, not moving from the bed.

The Azkaban escapee stick his head round my door frame.

"Who's room did this used to be?" I ask.

"Back when all the 'main' Blacks lived here, this one was Bella's." He walks inside and looks around.

"I figured as much." I say, leaning on my elbows. "Giant cupboard for clothes, nice bed and a giant mirror. Wasn't exactly going to be yours."

"I guess you're right." He looks at the large mirror. "Bellatrix was quite beautiful when she was younger, She wasn't even insane until she was sold off to the Lestranges."

"Sold off?" I ask.

He sighs. "Marriage contracts are still drawn up between noble pureblood houses." He sits on the chair. "The Blacks had a good offspring of three sisters. Narcissa, Now a Malfoy. Bellatrix, Now a Lestrange and Andromeda, Tonks' mother. It's not talked about often, but some of these contracts have loyalty spells woven into them. Old magic, strong stuff. When Cissy and Bella were married off, the contracts pretty much bound them to their husbands will." He rubs his eyes.

"So they aren't actually horrible people?" I ask after a while.

Sirius lets out a dry laugh.

"Andi hasn't changed a bit, they were all very similar to each other. Think of how Tonks is and tone it down a touch. Sweet young girls, free will snatched away from them. I'm not sure how they all ended up in Slytherin honestly."

"Can't you do anything about it? You must be Lord Black now and you were never formally convicted." I tell him.

"How did you know that?" He leans forward in the chair.

I shrug. "I dug through old records, or rather lack of records. You've still been branded as 'kiss on sight'. The dementor kind, not witches sadly."

He laughs at this. "If the Aurors can catch Peter then I'll be cleared. Maybe frowned at for being an illegal animagus, but I've already served time. They'd chalk up some of the years as wrongful, but a decade of it for an animagus. To make themselves look better."

Hermione knocks on my open door. "We're leaving in a couple of minutes."

We walk down the stairs, Sirius takes Harry aside for a proper goodbye. I walk over to the twins.

"I reckon I've figured out what 'Ministry Official' will be our DADA teacher this year." I say to them.

"Oh?" They chorus.

"Percy."

"Oh Merlin." Fred groans.

"Can you imagine it?" George says.

"Detention, Mr. Weasley!" Gred says.

"Yessir, Mr. Weasley!" Forge replies.

Molly bustles out of the kitchen wearing her coat.

"All here?" She says, looking around. "Where's Hermione?"

"We're here." Harry says as He and Hermione walk down the stairs. Harry, sporting a grin and Hermione blushing slightly. I catch Harry's eye and wink at him.

"All aboard." I say, stretching my arms out.

Everyone grabs on tightly, Fred and George take one of my hands each and softly caress them. Freya, who is perched on my head, bursts into flames, dropping us quite forcefully onto the floor of platform 9 and ¾.

I push myself to my feet. "Land ho, Ronny boy." I say, holding a hand out to him and pulling him to his feet. "_Tempus_. Here with 20 minutes to spare." I announce triumphantly to the people at my feet.

"A new record for the Weasley clan." Ginny says, dusting herself off.

"Fred, George, Get the trunks would you?" Molly says with a wave of her hand.

I pat my coat, confirming mine is still shrunk and firmly in my pocket. I look around the platform, most people are here already. A few new faces looking anxiously around. The parents of the new muggleborn students no doubt, I didn't think they could get past the barrier.

"Come on, let's find a compartment." Ginny says, looking at the people eyeing Harry.

"We have to go to the prefects compartment." I say. I'd be lying if I said I'm looking forward to this year. O. and policing the school. Great. "Lisa Turpin is the other Ravenclaw Prefect." I say to Harry and Hermione as we get on the train.

"Oh?" Hermione asks with an arched eyebrow.

I nod. "I met her sister in Diagon Alley. She doesn't think too highly of me."

Hermione almost trips over. "Doesn't think highly of you?" She says, wide-eyed with a smile creeping onto her lips. "Her sister said this you say?"

"Yes?" I don't know what's going on.

"You've got no idea have you?" She says.

I look at Harry, he shrugs.

"I probably would have said something by now wouldn't I?" I sigh. "Does she really hate me?"

Hermione giggles. _Giggles_. Hermione Granger _giggling_.

"What is it?" Am I going to be murdered?

"She completely mad about you." Hermione says, no longer able to hold the laughter.

My brain enjoys a few seconds of sweet blankness. A speck of dust in a sunbeam.

"How could _you _not have noticed?" She laughs at me more. It's true I don't let a lot slip by me.

"Between riding a dragon and telling knock-knock jokes to Voldemort, I don't think I noticed. I thought she was glaring at me or something." I run my fingers through my red hair. "How long?"

"Since you disillusioned with a phoenix on your shoulder, you left quite an impression with the ladies."

Harry opens the door to the prefect compartment. Megan Jones and Ernie Macmillan from Hufflepuff are already here. Lisa is here too, but no Slytherin prefects yet.

"My very own partner I crime." I say, sitting beside Lisa, opposite the others.

"How did you make prefect?" Ernie says, looking at me. "You don't even sit with your house."

"I've no idea, I thought it'd be Corner or Goldstein." I shrug. "Maybe Flitwick was on the juice." I grin at him.

The door slides open to reveal the head boy, Roger Davies.

"Ah, here are your patrol schedules and other information." He hands us a few packets of parchment. "The Slytherin prefects ones are in there too, pass them along once they get here." He closes the door.

"Hello to you to." I say to the closed door.

Harry snorts and passes the packets around. They contain basic prefect duties and responsibility. We can assign detentions and deduct house points for behaviour. Special rooms in the house towers, mainly so other students can find us easier, they are the same size as our current ones. No curfew for us, we have to enforce it on other students though.

Draco opens the door with a black haired girl in tow. Pansy Parkinson I assume. Harry holds up their prefect packets, They snatch them from his hand, causing him to smile. They read through in what I can only describe as an angry manner.

"Better watch yourself this year Potter." Draco announces as he stands up, tapping his prefect badge.

"You know that I'm a prefect too, right?" Harry says, Lisa giggles beside me.

Draco storms out of the compartment.

"Is there a problem with staying in here for more than a few seconds?" I shake my head, Freya appears on my lap as a chick. "Cut it fine this time." I stroke the top of her tiny head and collect the ash. "What was it this time?"

"_Someone claiming to be a rising dark lord in Russia._" She says with mental shrug.

"What did you do to him?" I say, nobody else can hear Freya's part. Might think I'm slightly mad.

"_We fought for a bit, during which he thought throwing fireballs at a phoenix was a good idea." _I laugh at this. "_I picked him up and dropped him off a bridge. No one was around to see it though. It was pretty cool._" I grin at this.

"What did she do?" Hermione asks me.

"Light vanquishes the darkness." I say cryptically.

"Does he do this a lot?" Ernie asks Harry.

He shrugs. "You get used to it."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Ginny and Zack are both flirts, i doubt anything will happen between them, maybe a snog or two, who knows? **

**I might make a chapter entitled "The Redemption of Bellatrix Black" as i already have a scene in mind, but it'll be after the Department of Mysteries fiasco.**

**Looks like i've broken the 100k mark here too, have a butterbeer for the occasion. Enjoy!**


	47. Chapter 47: Prefect Duty

Chapter 47: Prefect Duty

"The sixth years are on train duty." Megan says. "We can just go to our own compartments now."

We head down the train to find a compartment. We find Ginny in the very last one, not very helpful. Neville and Luna are also here.

"Couldn't have picked a closer one?" I say as I sit down, gesturing around me.

"You have to get used to walking around the castle." Neville says with a shrug.

I should probably come up with a speech for the first years, Keep the moral up or something.

"Blue and bronze hair for the feast?" I say, tugging on a lock of hair. "Flying the house colours."

The door slides open as the trolley lady comes past.

"Anything for the trolley?"" She asks.

Harry gets a chocolate frog and offers us anything.

"You don't happen to sell exploding snap cards, do you?" I grin as she nods. "Get me … five packs, Harry?"

He buys 6, giving the others something to do whilst I charge these.

"What are you doing to those cards?" Neville asks me after a while.

"Imagine an exploding snap card but a hundred times stronger." I wave a card as it glows. "Countless uses."

I finish the second pack after a while. "Wake me up later." I yawn and lean against the window side.

* * *

><p>"Zack." Someone pokes my side. "Something in your coat is beeping."<p>

I blink my eyes and pat down my coat, diving a hand into a pocket. "Ah." I pull out a small metal disk with a hole in the centre.

"What is that?" Ginny asks.

"A random beeper." I turn it in my hand and it stops beeping. "We're all going to die." I stow it away in my pocket.

"What do you mean?" Neville this time.

"Give it a hundred years or so." I shrug. "This thing just beeps randomly. How far from Hogwarts?" I look out the window.

"10 minutes or so." Hermione says. "Do you want us to leave whilst you change?"

"Nah." I take my coat off and do a switching charm on my shirt for a Hogwarts one. I put my tie on and robe myself. "Nothing too it. Robes really are a horrible item of clothing." I wave my sleeve around. "Maybe when Harry overthrows the Ministry he can get rid of these."

Neville laughs. "Harry doesn't really strike me as the usurper type."

"If anyone's going to do it, it'll be Harry." Luna says, looking up from the Quibbler briefly. "Him or Voldemort."

"See!" I point to Luna. "Someone gets me."

The train whistles for the one minute mark.

"The weather looks awful." Rain is beating against the window. "The boat ride won't be fun."

The train begins to slow, coming to a complete halt in Hogsmeade station. All the students exit the train and start moving down the platform, luckily it's covered so no rain is getting in here.

"Firs' years!" It hear Hagrid calling. "Firs' years this way!" The shorter members of the crowd gather around him.

"Have a good summer Hagrid?" I ask.

"Been travelling this summer, went better than expected." He beams at me.

I look at the first years. "The new crop." I smile at them. "I'm sure I'll be seeing some of you in Ravenclaw, I'm a prefect this year." I tap the badge. "I'll probably end up helping some of you regardless of your house. I'll see you later Hagrid." I wave to him as I walk towards the carts.

Harry and Luna seem to have started the conversation about thestrals, completely oblivious to the rain pouring down.

"Magnificent aren't they?" I say, rubbing the snout of one of them.

"You can see them?" Hermione asks, eyeing the empty space.

"Only those that have seen death can." I pat it's side. "I good first defence." I climb into the cart. "Pretty fresh out there." I shake the water from my hair.

"Urh." Ginny hits my arm. "You didn't have to do that all over me."

"You're right." I shake my head again, showering her with more water. The others climb into the cart and it begins to move. "If only there were some magical way to dry ourselves." I sigh dramatically.

Ginny grumbles and casts a drying spell on herself.

"Who'dya reckon'll teach DADA this year?" Neville asks after a few minutes.

"Some cow from the Ministry no doubt." Ginny says.

"Maybe we'll get an Auror." Harry suggests.

"Maybe it'll be Tonks." I sit forward. "I wouldn't mind getting a few detentions." I grin lecherously.

Hermione groans. "You're supposed to be a model for the younger students."

"Hey, I already gave them a pep-talk on the platform." I point out. "I didn't see anyone else doing the same."

I enlarge my trunk and pull out one of the exploding snap decks and begin to charge it.

"You think those will get past Filch?" Harry says.

"I think he'll let me off." I say. "They're only cards after all."

"What's in that chest?" Neville asks, peering into my open trunk.

"A sapphire the size of your head." I continue to ready the cards.

The cart stops and I shrink my trunk again. Filch is using a dark detector on all the students before we can go through the gate.

"Wotcher, Argus. Mrs. Norris doing ok?" I greet the grumpy man.

"Fine." He waves us through without being prodded.

"Why didn't he scan us?" Harry asks.

"Last year, for the tournament, he was my mentor and there were the allotted times for 'mentoring'." I explain. "We'd just sit in his office and chat."

"Can we hurry up and get out of this rain?" Ginny says, shivering.

We quickly go inside and dry off before heading into the Great Hall, We split up and I sit beside Luna at the Ravenclaw table. McGonagall opens the doors and leads in the first years a few minutes later.

The sorting begins and I see Umbridge sitting at the teachers table with a toadlike smile. Quite unsettling really. I clap politely as the students are sorted. I wonder if there has ever been a year when no students have gone to a certain house. Hogwarts is such an old place it's bound to have happened at some point.

Dumbledore rises to greet us, only to be rudely interrupted by Umbridge, who proceeds to give a pretty dire speech of her own.

"May the feast begin." Dumbledore says, waving his hands. There is a collective gasp from the new students at the sudden appearance of the food.

"Why is your hair blue and bronze?" A firstie asks me.

"It happens when you're in this house, look around." I gesture to the table. "Blue and bronze everywhere."

He wrinkles his face at me, clearly not impressed by my answer.

"I'm a metamorph. I can change what I look like." I morph into him, gets em every time.

"Wicked." He says with wide eyes. I change back to myself.

Anticipating his next question, I morph a scaly and clawed hand.

"What are the limits to it?" I hold my hand up. "Wicked."

"I can do girls too." I morph into a replica of Luna.

"How accurate is that under your clothes?" She asks me.

"A complete fabrication unless I see the genuine article." I grin at her. Somebody a few seats down chokes on his pumpkin juice. "It's quite comfortable being Luna actually." I wave my wand to adjust my clothes.

"You wear it quite well." She says to me. "I think I might adopt the blue hair at some point."

"The hair, I always forget." I change back to me. "What's your name then, Mr. Inquisitive?"

"Danny, Danny Kershaw."

"Well, Danny Danny Kershaw, Welcome to Hogwarts." He seems excited by it all.

After eating for a couple of minutes, I notice that Luna is staring at me. Normally I don't mind stares, but Luna looks like she is attempting legilimency on me.

"Have I inadvertently morphed into Snape?" I ask her.

"Something isn't quite right about you. I noticed on your first day here." A slight frown adjourns her face. "The orphanage and the fire." She talks quietly. "It's real but not the same."

Alarm bells are ringing inside my head now. I don't think I've even mentioned the cover story to Luna, I think she is talking about what really happened.

In my previous life, before I was a wizard, I did live in an orphanage. I never knew my parents and the other children frequently attacked me. Not a pleasant place. It's why Lucifer used that cover story, because my orphanage did burn down. How Luna would know about this, I don't know.

"You are a very unique person Luna." I laugh.

"So I've been told." She begins to eat pudding with a straw.

Dumbledore clears his throat and stands up, suitably quietening the room. He reminds us of the forest and Filches rules before bidding us a good night.

"First years, Follow me." I say. Lisa stands beside me. "Shepard them from behind." She smiles at this. "Follow the boy with the blue hair." I lead them through the castle, up to the Ravenclaw tower.

"This is the portal for our common room." Lisa says. "To enter, you must answer the riddle, if you can't answer it you must wait for another student to come along, or Professor Flitwick, our head of house."

I pick up from here. "It's not very secure, so the greatest security measure is keeping the location of the entrance a secret." I tap the bird on the head, bringing it to life.

"Which came first, the phoenix or the flame?" I look a Freya, who up to this point had been sitting on my shoulder.

"A very odd one." I say. "I'm one of the select few people that actually know the real answer, but I suppose you're looking for 'the circle has no beginning'?"

"You may enter."

The first years follow us through the entrance to the common room.

"This." Lisa waves her hands. "Is our common room, Try not to fall asleep in here whilst studying." This earns a few awkward laughs. "Your curfew starts at nine, expect detention if you are out after this. Breakfast starts at 7, you will get your schedules then."

Now for my speech part.

"You are Ravenclaws." I start simply. "This however, does not mean that you are clever. This house is not for clever people, nor has it ever been. No, Ravenclaw is about treasuring knowledge. A thirst to learn. 'Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure' is our motto. You will be mixed with other houses throughout your years here, no house is better or worse than another. Remember it's a friendly rivalry between the houses and that losing points for us means letting the rest of the house down." I let that hang in the air for a while.

"Onto the brighter side." Lisa says. "If you are having problems with anything, lessons, another student, a teacher, even me, Come to either myself or any of the other prefects. We are here to help."

"I'll be down here from half six every day for the first month to show you down to breakfast for seven. Girls dormitory's are up these stairs, the boys are downstairs. Boys cannot enter the girls dorms but the girls can enter the boys. Don't ask me why, I didn't build the castle."

"Any questions?" Lisa asks. Nobody says anything. "All right, off to bed." She claps, the first years scramble to the stairs.

"Do you think I was too scary with the whole thing?" I ask Lisa as I lean against the wall by the stairs.

She shakes her head. "I think it's what they needed to hear."

"Three more years of this." I rub my eyes. "At least we don't have to do the intro again."

"I'll see you at six o'clock sharp." She says. I try to protest. "G'night." She walks up the stairs. I groan.

Is it too late to turn in my badge?

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><p><strong>AN: I wrote the first iteration of this chapter when i was really tired. It sucked so i had to redo it. I'm glad i did though, the first one didn't do the story justice.**

**I'm not good at doing speeches so i missed out Dumbledores and Umbridges.**

**MY COMPUTER IS DEAD. UPDATES MIGHT BE SUSPENDED **

**Enjoy!**


	48. Chapter 48: Back again

** A/N: I've just got my computer back, this was half done when it broke so here it is. **

** I wrote a spin-off on paper during my absence, so i apologize if i've forgotten how this story goes. It'll probably never see the light of day**

** Gah, messed up the uploads. Here's the real chapter. Sorry!**

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><p>Chapter 48: Back again<p>

"Morning Zack." Lisa smiles at me as I climb up the stairs on all fours.

"Hi." I say, laying on the floor in the middle of the common room.

"Good nights sleep?" She asks.

"I think a dark wizard invented alarm clock charms." I say into the carpet.

A few upper years walk past me and head down for breakfast, Ravenclaws tend to get there first. Mad, more so than me. I finally push myself onto my feet and stand beside Lisa.

"What do you think of the new defence professor?" I say, rubbing my eyes.

Lisa purses her lips for a moment. "I think she is chirpy. Overly chirpy." I snort.

"One way of putting it." I mutter.

I hear voices drifting from the stairs and take a moment to straighten my tie. The first year boys come up the stairs far more presentable and eager than I would have guessed. I run my hand through my hair.

"Ready for your first day?" Lisa asks with a smile. She gets a cheery 'Yep' in response. The girls come down moments later. "Ready?" They seem to be bouncing with energy. Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one that likes a lay in from this house.

We lead the firsties out of the portal and head through various corridors, take a moving staircase as it reaches us and run into the Gryffindors. Hermione is talking about the stairs.

"They have a mind of their own, so don't give them a chance to escape." She says. Harry adds his own part.

"Make sure the stairs are there when you walk too, the drop is a bit steep."

"Don't want to be scraping them off the cobblestone below." I grin. Hermione smacks Harry's arm.

"Don't say that, they'll never use the stairs." She scolds.

I look at the first years, they seem to relax a bit at the banter, although some look a bit green and hurriedly step off the stairs. One corridor length later and we arrive at the Great Hall.

"Professor Flitwick will hand out your schedules during breakfast." I say, waving them over to the Ravenclaw table. "In future you can sit at other tables if you wish, but for today sit here to make it easier on ol' Flitwick." I add the last bit in a hushed tone, they nod enthusiastically and sit down.

"'Old Flitwick', ?" I hear Flitwick say from behind me. I spin round and grin at the small man

"Nice summer, Professor?" He shakes his head with a smile.

"Quite good, and yours?"

"Passable, almost lost my arm to an exploding snap card." His eyebrow quirks up at this admission.

He taps his wand on a thin stack of parchment, they slide from his hand and fly to the corresponding first year. I take my seat beside Lisa.

"I was given mine by hand." I complain as I load up a plate.

"He does that trick for the first year." She says to me as they looks over their timetables. "Not as easy as he makes it look I hear."

I'm half way through a sausage when a first year stares right at me.

"Is it true that you can fly?" She asks sceptically.

"3 o'clock." I say. "On your timetable." I try not to smile.

"Broom practice?" She looks up.

"We can all fly." I wink at her.

"I hear that you don't need a broom." She says, sounding very much like Hermione.

"There are ways to … circumvent conventional methods of flight. I found one that works for me. I'd like to be able to use my wings though." I gaze off. The girl turns only to find that I'm not actually looking at anything.

"What wings?" She wrinkles her nose. I don't think she likes my sass. I look at Lisa, who is giggling.

"Try to freak out." I say. The folds in my robes part to make way for the skeletal wings, I continue eating as if I wasn't growing wings. I add feathers and stretch them out. "Sadly they only catch air right now, maybe if I make them huge and catch a thermal. I'm a lot heavier than a bird is so I'd need big wings." I explain.

The new students across the hall strain their necks to get a view, I retract them into my back.

"Show-off." Lisa coughs.

"It's their first day, far be it for me to underwhelm them." I go back to eating my breakfast.

The rest of our timetables are sent down the table as the upper years fill out the tables. Ancient Runes first thing, DADA later. It could be better.

"Runes?" I question Lisa. She nods.

"We'll have to take the first years to charms first, but that still gives us time to get there."

Freya decides to obnoxiously appear on my plate and peck at a bowl of grapes. "How is my feathered amigo?" I ask as I stroke her feathers.

"_Worse now you've called me 'amigo'_ " She says, taking a few more grapes.

"Lisa, You wouldn't happen to know anything about animagi would you?" I ask casually.

"There is a myth saying that it's incredibly hard and not everyone can do it." She replies.

"Myth?"

"Anyone has the potential, but it's still hard. Maybe ask McGonagall tomorrow." She suggests.

"I wonder if it holds true for metamorphs. I'd probably end up as a chameleon or a lyre bird." Freya scoffs.

"_You'd make a terrible bird._" She nips at my fingers.

"Maybe you can turn into a human." I suggest. "If it works one way, why not the other?"

"_Your mistake is expecting magic to adhere to logic._"

"Can't hurt to try." I shrug. "Or it might be excruciatingly painful, best not to try it in public in case it works."

"Why's that?" Lisa asks, apparently following the one sided conversation.

"As much as the wizards would love it, She'd be naked if it worked."

"_Still no luck finding the rat._" Freya tells me. She's made it her crusade to find Peter.

"Try somewhere dark." I say. "_Maybe Snape's house? Spinners end or some such nonsense._"

She chirps. "_I'll see you at lunch._" She bursts into a ball of fire. I frown, I'm sure Peter of all people couldn't harm a phoenix.

"Everything ok?" Lisa lays her hand on my forearm, I smile weakly.

"One day I'm afraid she'll leave and not come back." I shake my head and stand up abruptly and clap my hands. "Who's ready for some charms then?" I grin as the first years scramble around me. "Allonsy!"

We navigate the winding hallways to Flitwick's room. The Hufflepuffs are already here. Flitwick himself comes walking down the hallway a couple of minutes later.

"We'll be back for you at 12 for lunch." I say whilst looking at my non-existent watch,

"You don't even have a watch!" Danny huffs.

"How right you are Danny boy." I grin at him. "I think we're going to be late though." Lisa casts a tempus charm and confirms that we have 5 minutes to do a 10 minute walk.

"Late on the first day." She mumbles. "Some prefects we are."

"Chin up, you have to think outside the box." I say to her. "Two floors up right?"

"This is hardly the time to be scoping out the building." She grumbles.

"On a scale of one to six, how much do you trust me?"

"One to six? What kind of scale is tha-aaaah!" I cut her off by picking her up.

"Let's call it a six." I step up onto the window sill and look down.

"This is a terrible idea!" She screams. "Put me down!"

Ignoring her squirming protests I activate my boots and step over the threshold, she screams more.

"Don't drop me!" She latches onto my neck.

"Drop you, don't drop you. Make up your mind." I grin as we ascend slowly to the balcony beside the runes classroom. "There we go. 10 minute walk in 20 seconds." I carefully place her feet on the floor.

"Never do that again." She scowls at me.

"What if we're going to be late again?"

" … Ask my permission first." She blushes and straightens her uniform.

I walk round the corner to see the rest of the runes class waiting.

"Morning Hermione." I greet, said girl arches her eyebrow as Lisa follows me round the corner blushing madly.

"Dare I ask?" She fights the smirk off her face.

"Jumped out a window." I shrug. "Nothing unusual, we're not even late." I say the last bit to Lisa.

"And fell onto the balcony?" Hermione quizzes.

"Fell upwards." I admit.

I see the cogs whirring in Hermione's head. "Charms room, two floors down." She shakes her head. "Mad."

Professor Babbling opens the classroom doors.

222

Babbling assigns us 3 chapters of homework as I turn my hair yellow and raise it into spikes 7 inches above my head.

"I still can't believe you jumped us out of a window." Lisa says as we walk through the corridors to the charms room.

"We could be there by now if I did it again." I point out. "It was more of a step too, jumping is inaccurate." She stays silent for the rest of the walk.

The first years' lesson ends just before we arrive, seeing them let out of the classroom.

"Have fun?" I ask them, they nod enthusiastically. "Anyone get it in the first lesson?"

"I got mine to rotate on the table a bit." Danny says. I start walking backwards and motion for them to follow me.

"Think if an invisible plate appearing under the object." I sidestep to avoid someone walking into my back. "Then it's just about getting the plate to lift, heavy objects are a bit harder, so a feather is a good way to start."

I spin round as we reach the Great Hall.

"We'll take you to Herbology after lunch." Lisa says as we sit down.

"If we get them there early we can be early for Defence." I suggest. "Best not to be late with the new professor." I glance at Umbridge at the staff table.

"Probably for the best." She agrees.

I have the tiniest hope that Umbridge isn't as foul as I think she will be. I begin to eat various sandwiches. The Slytherin first years are sitting around Draco, he looks smug. Our first years appear to have eaten their fill.

"Ready?" Lisa asks them, they all nod.

We lead them out of the front door and down to the greenhouses. The first years only use the smallest greenhouse, Professor Sprout is waiting at the door.

"We'll swing by and take your broom practice." They enter the greenhouse with Professor Sprout. We start to walk back to the castle, but I suddenly feel my stomach turn.

"Oh god." I moan, leaning against a greenhouse for support. My hair falls out of my head.

"Zack?" Lisa gasps. "Are you ok?" She puts a hand on my back.

I fall but instead of hitting the dirt I land on my hands and knees on stone flooring. I vomit immediately.

"How are we in the castle?" Lisa says as I vomit again. "Are you ok?" She kneels next to me.

"I'm dying." I moan. "Maybe I'm exaggerating slightly." I wave my wand over the vomit, clearing the pool.

"The fire." She mutters. "Did Freya bring us here?" She helps me stand.

"She's not even in Scotland." I slowly grow my hair back.

"Did you do it?" She coaches me along the corridor.

I lean against the wall with my hands and vomit again. "I've never done it before, but it definitely doesn't agree with my body." I clean the floor and freshen my mouth. "I think I'm good now."

"Well, you got us to the right floor at least." Lisa says as she looks around.

"I just hope Freya's OK." I say as we enter the corridor to the defence room. "The link is fuzzy, usually means she's out of range."

"Are you going to be sick again?" She looks at me closely. "Should we go to the hospital wing?" I wave her off.

"I'll be fine."

The class is already sitting in the room.

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><p><strong> AN: I'm a bit rusty so i don't know when the next update is going to be ready. Enjoy.**


	49. Chapter 49: Freya the phoenix?

Chapter 49: Freya the phoenix?

"Ordinary. Wizarding. Levels. Examinations." Umbridge recites as the blackboard chalks itself as she walks. She turns to face us. "More commonly known as OWLs." Her squeaky voice grates on my ears.

"Zack." Lisa says. "Are you sure you're alright?." She frowns. I nod once.

Our beginner 'Ministry approved' Defence books float down the isle and sit themselves on our desk. Hermione raises her hand. Umbridge smiles and nods at her expectantly.

"There's nothing in here about using defensive spells." She says.

"Using spells?" Umbridge seems surprised at the very thought of such a thing. "I can't imagine why you would need to use spells in my classroom."

"We're not going to use magic?" Ron asks as if reading from the script. I feel my hair turning red from the roots.

"We are going to be learning about these spells in a secure, risk free environment." She smiles sweetly.

"What use is that?" Harry asks. "If we're gonna be attacked it won't be _risk-free_."

"Students will raise there hands when speaking in my class." Umbridge says with her back turned to us. Definitely as bad as I thought, I exchange a look with Harry from across the room, he seems to be thinking the same thing. "It is the view of the Ministry that a theoretical knowledge would be sufficient to get you through your examinations which, after all, is what school is all about."

"And how's theory supposed to prepare us for what's out there?" Harry asks, clearly getting agitated.

"There is _nothing _out there." Umbridge says with a condescending tone. "Who do you imagine would want to attack children such as yourselves?" I take the next line.

"Perhaps … Oh Lord Voldemort?" I ask. "He did try and kill a baby once that we know of." The class start to mutter. Umbridge looks around the class and walks slowly forward.

"Now, let me make this quite plain." She begins. "You have been told that a certain dark wizard is at large once again. This. Is. A. Lie."

"It's _not _a lie." I say firmly. "We saw him." I gesture to Harry.

"We _fought _him." Harry adds.

"Detention, Mr. Potter and Mister...?" She fishes for my name.

"Jackson, Ma'am." I smirk at her. If only I had enough in my stomach to vomit. Harry begins to protest.

"Enough!" She screeches. The lesson consists of Umbridge reading from the same book we have in front of us.

* * *

><p>"Well that wasn't so bad." I say sarcastically as we file out of the room. Harry smiles and shakes his head. I lean my hands against the wall and take deep breaths.<p>

"Are you going to the hospital wing now?" Lisa asks me.

"Hospital wing?" Hermione interjects. "What's happened?"

Seeing that I'm in no state to answer, Lisa tells Hermione about our little trip to class. My head starts to spin and I get an image of the interior of my room for a few seconds.

"Oh god." I groan. "Hermione, I need your help."

"What is it?" She touches my forearm as an act of concern, this sees us flash in front of the Gryffindor portrait. I land on my back, Hermione just blinks at the sudden change of scenery.

"Could you get some of your clothes?" I ask. "I have a friend that's in trouble that matches your er … specifications." I dry heave, my body shakes.

Hermione, starting to understand what's going on, dashes into the common room and reappears a minute later with a bag. "What's going on?" She asks. I reach my hand out and touch her ankle, We land in my bedroom.

"Freya?" I call out weakly. "Are you feeling as bad as I am?"

"Nope." I distinctly vocal version of Freya's voice reaches my ears. Hermione gasps. "Yes, yes. I'm a meatbag too. Now give me some clothes." She huffs. Fabric rustles as I push myself into a sitting position.

"You have your own rooms in Ravenclaw?" Hermione asks me.

"A phoenix has turned into a human and you ask that?" I laugh. "I think Slytherin do as well. We're not a social bunch apparently."

I look at Freya for the first time. She's about my age, similar body to Hermione, now clothed in jeans and a pink jumper. Blue eyes and vivid blue, wavy hair. She could pass for my sister.

"I thought you'd have turned completely into a bird." She says with a smirk.

"Maybe that's why I was vomiting." I grumble. She grabs my hand and helps me stand up. "I think you came out a lot better than I did." I rub my temples. "It worked then?"

Freya grins at me. "Yep! Sorry about any inconvenience." She twirls around on the spot. "How do I look?"

"Better than Zack." Hermione says. Freya cheers and hugs her.

"Can you flash like this?" I ask, starting to not feel like I'm dying. "I gained that little skill." I rap the side of my head. "The link doesn't work like this though."

"I had to really push to tell you where I was." Freya admits. She rapidly teleports around the room. "Still got it." She smirks. I smile and shake my head.

"Can you turn back?" I ask. "Nowaitdon't." I quickly add, not wanting to vomit again. She stops just in time.

"You were still out by the greenhouses when I first got it, I changed back immediately to test it, that doesn't agree with out though." She picks up books from my shelf and runs her hands over things. I run my hand through my hair.

"Do you want me to take you back to Harry?" I ask Hermione. "I can imagine having your girlfriend burst into flames is quite disconcerting."

"Yes please." She turns to Freya. "You can keep the clothes, maybe make them fireproof?"

"Thanks!" Freya grins and hugs Hermione again. I put a hand on Freya's shoulder.

"You can do the flash, I haven't got the hang of it yet." No sooner do the words leave my mouth than me appear in front of the Great Hall beside Harry.

"Hermione!" He yelps, clearly startled by our sudden appearance.

"Your delivery, sir." I say. Freya and I bow together. "Are we turning into twins?" I ask her. We look at each other for a moment before grinning.

"You've got a free period now." She says. "I'll teach you to flash properly." I nod.

"We should tell Albus about this." I say.

"Tell me what?" The old man stands in the entrance doorway.

"Uh." I look at Freya, then back. "Freya is a person." I say lamely.

"Truly?" His eyes widen and he looks at Freya.

"Albus!" She grins, hugging the elderly man before stepping back.

Fawkes appears in a ball of fire on his shoulder. If a bird can look surprised, Fawkes does right now.

"How did this happen?" The headmaster asks.

"I figured if Animagi worked one way..." I start, Freya picks up the slack.

"Why wouldn't they work the other?" The mental link clears up slightly, enough for general impressions to flow.

"And as you can see, it worked well." I wave my hand at Freya, she grins. "I suppose she can hang around with me? She did as a bird."

Dumbledore looks at his own phoenix, apparently holding a conversation. Freya twirls a lock of hair around her finger as she looks around with new eyes.

"I see no problem, just try not to get into any _trouble_." He says.

"No problem boss." Freya says, she takes my hand and flashes us away from Hogwarts. I feel dizzy for a moment until I take in my surroundings. Some sort of flat, well lived in and not tidied often. I turn to look more and find a wand in my face. I follow it to a hand then to a face.

"Tonks!" I smile. "Fancy seeing you here."

"This is my flat!" She says, stowing her wand ... somewhere. She's only in her underwear. "How did you get here? Who's this?" She looks Freya up and down.

"I'm his new wife." She says proudly. I splat my hand over my face.

"Freya has recently gained the ability to turn into a human. This," I wave my hand in Freya's direction. "Is the result of that."

"A human?" Tonks asks in justified disbelief. Freya hops around on one leg, trying to shed her clothing.

"Hermione gave her some clothes, they're not included with the standard phoenix-to-human package evidently." I explain as Freya unbuttons her blouse.

"Why is she stripping?" Tonks is taking the whole intrusion rather well.

"Maybe she saw your current attire and felt out of place?" I suggest. "Are we intruding?"

"Yes." She huffs.

"Are we interrupting anything?"

"No." She admits begrudgingly. "I just got out the shower and a ball of fire appears."

Freya, now declothed, stands next to Tonks and compares her various body parts.

"At least I got the fun bits." She says.

"I woke up this morning expecting the weirdest thing to be the new Professor." I sit on Tonks' sofa after clearing some clothes out of the way. "Why is your whole flat covered in clothes?"

"Disguises." Tonks says, prodding Freya's stomach, making her giggle. "Ticklish, eh?"

Tonks pounces of Freya and starts to tickle her. They fall of the floor as Freya shrieks and tries to break free, apparently forgetting she can teleport. Whilst the half-naked girls writhe on the floor I look around the flat. Fairly small, although if the Auror wages are as low as I hear then it's a good size. Covered in clothes and photos of when Tonks was in Hogwarts.

"Aaaah!" Tonks shrieks with time, Freya is now tickling her.

I head into Tonks' kitchen. Having dropped my lunch onto the floors of the castle, I find myself in need of food. The fridge is empty.

"Tonks, You're a metamorph. How can you not have food here?" I whine.

"I eat out." She gasps. They've both worn each other out and now lie flat panting.

"Get dressed. I'm starving." I feel my stomach starting to eat itself.

"Dress up!" Freya says, rooting through Tonks' clothes. I glance down at my wrist.

"I've got detention after dinner, we should have plenty of time."

"Detention on your first day?" Tonks jumps up and down as she pulls some tight jeans on. 'Fun parts' bouncing merrily.

"The new Defence Professor." I lean against the kitchen counter. "Umbridge."

"_Umbridge?!_" She gasps. "That cow is teaching?"

* * *

><p>After a nice meal at the Leaky Cauldron and a walk around Diagon Alley with Tonks, I decide to get back to school for dinner.<p>

"You'd better come and visit me again." Tonks says.

"It's not like anyone can stop me now." I wrap my arms around her. "Maybe we'll catch you in the shower next time." I step back, only to be pulled into a kiss. As we separate Freya flashes us just outside the Great Hall. "Too many things in a second." I shake my head rid of the cobwebs. We sit either side of Lisa at the Ravenclaw table.

"I heard you were a human, but I didn't quite believe it." She says to Freya who doesn't respond but instead starts eating anything she can reach.

"She's never eaten anything that's not fruit or rodents." I explain. "I think she killed a pig via heart attack once."

"Weak heart." Freya says between bites.

"Flying lesson go OK? Sorry I had to miss it, I wasn't in top shape." I note that all first years are here, so nobody died.

"Took me a while to get the broom to come up, but floating was awesome!" One boy says.

"First time I was ever on a broom I bruised my entire body." I smile fondly. "Ah, to be young again."

Danny looks like he wants to say I'm only 4 years older than him, but he settles for a frown instead.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I'm trying to liven the story up a bit. I think i've done an underwhelming job on the phoenix link, so this is a bit of a twist. Enjoy.**


	50. Chapter 50: Detention with Dolores

Chapter 50: Detention with Dolores

"Ready for detention?" I say to Harry whilst leaning against the Great Halls door frame. His face scrunches up like someone is wearing particularly nasty perfume.

"Let's just get it over with." We head off towards Umbridge's office. "It's ridiculous reason to have detention." He says.

"We did call out. 'Students must raise their hands to talk,'" He doesn't seem to hear.

"It'd take an attack on the Ministry for them to realise he's back." Harry frowns. I remove muscles from my face to stop my wide smile. Foreboding.

"Here we are." We look at the pink wood door. Harry goes to knock, I grab his hand in a flash. "Can you cast '_episkey'?" _He nods. "Sit on my right."

I step around him, he looks at me oddly before knocking twice. "Come in." She calls out after a moment. Harry pushes the door open, revealing a very pink office. Quite what she's done to the castle's masonry, I don't know.

"Take a seat." We sit side by side in front of her desk. A red quill atop a piece of parchment before us. "You will be writing some lines for me this evening." She says with a smile. "I want you to write 'I must not tell lies.'"

"How many times?" Harry asks.

"Oh, Until the message _sinks in_." She smiles.

"We've got no ink." He says.

"It's a special quill, it makes do without." Harry looks at me with an arched eyebrow. I shrug.

Their little exchange gave me time to make a nice fat, juicy vein on the side of my left hand. I ready the quill and push hard whilst writing the 'I'. Immediately the vein slits open, I suck air through my teeth at the sudden introduction of pain. Blood begins to pour out of my hand. Harry is too distracted to write. I quickly power through 'must not tell lies.' punctuated with a nice heavy full stop.

"Uh, Professor Umbridge." Harry says, she is currently facing away. "We've got a problem."

She turns round, the smile drops from her face at the sight of blood all over my arm and clothes.

"What are you doing?!" She screeches.

"I think your quill is faulty." I start blinking hard, I should've made up some more blood before attempting this. I fall out of my chair, hitting my head on the way down.

* * *

><p>"Nice charmwork." I hear a squeaky voice say. Flitwick.<p>

"He's awake." Madam Pomfrey says. I don't move. "We know you're awake the charm told me." She says impatiently.

"Dammit." I grumble. "You can never overhear things since the invention of consciousness charms." I open my eyes and sit up.

Dumbledore and the heads of houses stand at the end of my bed. Harry and Madam Bones are also present. She holds the two blood quills and my paper, it looks like my blood only seeped halfway up the page, leaving the writing in tact.

"I think cut myself." I say innocently. I move the hospital quilt down, my torso is still covered in blood. "How long?"

"About 10 minutes." Dumbledore says. "People have been in and out, no time to clean you it seems." His eyes twinkle faintly.

Madam Pomfrey swishes her wand over me, removing the dry blood and hands me a potion. "Blood replenisher." I drink the gritty potion.

"With some sort of sand." I drink a glass of water to wash it down. "To combat the iron deficiency? Clever." I see Snape's mouth move half a millimetre in recognition.

"Mister Potter has submitted his memory." Madam Bones says. That can't be good. "Starting from when he knocked on the door and ending after he used the fireplace to call for help."

"What happened to Professor Umbridge? Shouldn't she have called?" I ask.

"Mister Potter, after seeing that the quill had injured you, performed a body bind on her." Madam Bones explains with mirth in her eyes.

I look at my hand and see 'I must not tell lies' faintly engraved on my skin. "I've never seen a quill do this." I say. "Did it's inking charm miss the ink pot or something?"

"If only it were that simple." McGonagall mutters.

"Madam Umbridge was in possession of two blood quills." Dumbledore says, all trace of his twinkle gone. "These are occasionally used in Gringotts to sign important documents. Blood cannot lie. These are illegal to posses, much less use, outside of Gringotts. To use one on a minor as torture? She won't be seeing anything but her cell in Azkaban for many years." No trace of joy in his features. Azkaban is hell on Earth.

"The first day?" I slowly start to smile. "That's got to be a new record for a Defence Professor to leave, right? It's usually about a year." This brings along welcome laughter, driving us away from the topic of Azkaban.

"Nobody died this time either." Freya says, kicking her legs merrily whilst sitting on my bedside table.

"All in a days work." I swing my legs over the edge of my bed and gingerly poke the lump on the side of my head. My shirt is ruined, I made sure to get blood everywhere for a more convincing story. A pack of the exploding snap cards is in the shirt pocket. "Glad these survived." I draw a card out to ensure it's in working order. "Who's going to teach defence now? An Auror?"

Someone clears their throat, the small group parts to show Mad-Eye Moody leaning on his staff. Without thinking I activate the card and flick it at him in one fluent movement. At the last possible moment his wand comes up and incinerates it in the air. We look at each other for a second before we start laughing.

"Fire." I shake my head. "Should have expected that. I was hoping you'd try a shield." He laughs.

"I saw it slip through one, if not I'd be on the floor." He admits. I'm glad he didn't attack me.

"Should've known better than to try and get one over on you." I turn to Dumbledore.

"We have yet to find a full time replacement." He says. "Alastor has agreed to substitute until we have a more permanent solution." I nod.

"Can I go?" I ask nobody in particular. "No evidence needs to be collected from me?"

"You can go." Pomfrey says. "Try not to lose all the blood in your body again." Harry, Freya and I take our leave. "Quite why he had an important vein there, I don't know." I hear her say as we make the door.

"Quick bit of thinking on the memory." I say quietly.

"I thought to myself 'What would Zack do?'" He says. I raise an eyebrow. "Then took away the explosions, shouting, flying, and women." He holds up a finger for each one. "So I picked the memory from there." A smile cracks over my face.

"I owe you one. Any time, any place. So long as it doesn't interfere with your last point."

"I'm sure I'll think of something." He says.

* * *

><p>Sadly there was no celebration for Umbridge's departure. She hadn't been here long enough to make a huge impact. Mad-Eye's new position spawned all sorts of rumours regarding the fate of Umbridge before breakfast on the second day.<p>

"As much as I hate to admit it, the Prophet are pretty swift in getting news." I say at breakfast. The whole school now knows that Umbridge is in Azkaban for torturing students.

"It was only one cut on your hand." Harry says. "It's not as bad as they make it out to be."

"True, but if we were made to keep writing the lines then it would have been pretty bad." He goes back to reading the paper.

"Who do you think will take over from Mad-Eye?" He says after reading.

"Maybe Dumbledore?" Hermione suggests.

"He'll probably be busy with Voldemort." Harry says quietly.

"Nothing has happened this summer." Hermione points out.

"Nothing we've been told about." Harry grumbles.

I idly toy with an exploding snap card's charms whilst eating. Throwing one now doesn't really go far before it catches some air and slaps onto the ground. If I add something to guide it better from the hand, they might actually have some use.

"Should that card be glowing blue?" Harry says, holding a plate in front of him as a shield. I look down at the card, which is indeed glowing.

"Just a little experiment." I say. Maybe a boomerang-esque card.

I throw that card over Harry's head, making him duck, it sails a few feet before flying back to my hand.

"Neat." I say.

"Won't it explode on you?" Hermione asks, eyeing the card suspiciously.

"I tell it to explode if it hits anything as normal. If it doesn't hit anything it flies back into your hand. Less waste." I turn the card over, ace of diamond. It's glows red softly. "Touch that." I slide the card over the Harry. "It won't explode." I assure him.

He holds out one finger and looks up at me again. He lowers his finger to the card and as it makes contact a red light flashes up his arm. He falls against the table.

"Harry!" Hermione shakes him.

"_Ennervate."_ I poke him with my wand. He sits up rubbing his forehead.

"A little warning next time?" He says. "Maybe a pillow."

I pick the card up, I thought it would have been used up. "A stunning card. The same trigger as the exploding ones, impact, but this one stuns you." I pull out the rest of the pack and alter the diamonds and hearts to stunners. I whip one into a wide arc through the air and catch it as it comes back.

"Is it as easy as you make it look?" Harry asks.

"You could do it, easier than a snitch I reckon." I tell him. "But it's the charm that lets me do it."

"So you're weaponising cards?" Hermione asks.

"I suppose … " I trail of as an idea hits. "That's it."

"What?" She says.

"The cards." I look at the cards before me as if they're made of gold. "New colours. Blue, green. Anything." I start sorting out the suits. "Different spells on them." I alter the colour with a quick spell making blue diamonds.

"What for?"

"A game, Hermione." A smile spreads over my face. "Running around, throwing these cards at each other. Pink ones can be put on the floor perhaps, making a shield or barrier that blocks cards." I toy with a green 6 of clubs. "Greens. Activate it and it can stop … three? Cards before it's used up. Only a certain amount of the stronger ones. Reds do the stuns, greens the shields. Blacks are the classic blasting card, maybe they can take out a green card in one hit or something." I make a few blues and play around with them.

"This actually sounds really cool." Harry picks up a blue card. "and the blues?"

"Ah, now that's the tricky part." I say. "Say I've thrown a red card at you and reach for your green, but oh no! No shields left! What do you do? Throw a blue card. It intercepts other cards from the air or disarms trap cards, lets say … orange."

"So a point system or something? What's to stop people attacking random people with the cards?" Hermione asks.

"Maybe a zone that is set up to activate the cards?" Harry says.

"Brilliant." I say. "As for points, I could make a simple wristband that keeps track of what hits you."

"If you get stunned wouldn't they just throw a load of cards at your body?"

"Some sort of base." I massage my temples, trying to get the thoughts to go faster. "Red cards teleport you back? An adapted portkey perhaps. Maybe you get stunned and you're out for a minute. The overall objective is to find the other teams base and break it down."

"Break it down?" Harry says. "With black cards?"

I enlarge a black card. Harry leans back. "It's just for effect, these are the same strength. So, Caches around the play zone containing a couple of these." I tap the dinnerplate-sized card. "Four of them on a base defences and the game is over. These will fly like frisbees, some flashing and smoke for effect."

"You can't just call them 'big-cards' though." Harry says.

"Siege-cards." I grin.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I've yet to come up with a name for the card war. It plays like a magical laser tag/laser quest. I'm not sure if places other than Britain have it so maybe google it if you're confused. The rules will become more clear as Zack and co. create them. Feel free to help me with the name :)**

** Enjoy!**


	51. Chapter 51: Siege-cards

Chapter 51: Siege-cards

"So you're saying that if I buy you a couple of hundred packs of exploding snap cards, you will make a club for your new game?" Harry asks. "Go over it once more."

The first week of school has flown by. Between lessons I've been working out the spells on the cards. The first layer is a simple check to see if the card is inside a play-zone, this is mainly for safety so you can just throw a load of cards into a crowd of people. If they are inside a play-zone then you can activate them, providing you have a game wristband on, and use them. I'm trying to convince Harry to buy me some cards. It's lunchtime on Saturday.

"The aim of the game is simple. Lay siege to the other teams base." I tap on a large card. "Four siege cards will bust open their walls, they are hidden around the game zone, one per cache if the zone is small, No more than two on a bigger area. Simple? The obstacle is the other team trying to do the same thing to your base." I slip the band off my wrist and hand it to him. "This is what allows you to activate the cards inside the game, it counts your score. So Who you hit with what cards and things like that. I'll also make it count who's cards you deflect or block. Maybe bonus points if you throw a card that places a shield down to defend another player."

He inspects the unassuming wristband sceptically. "It can monitor all those things?"

"At the moment it only lets you turn the cards on inside the game-zone." I admit. "I've mainly been working on the cards."

"How many types have you made so far?" He hands me back the wristband.

"Six so far. That's excluding the siege-cards." I stand up and take my school robe off, revealing a belt with six pouches. "This is the card utility belt. A proto-type. Each pouch holds one type of card, you touch the pouch and a card is retrieved from the pack into your hand." I swipe my middle and index finger upwards from the centre of the right-most pack, a black card appears in my hand. "There's as little bug right now so you have to swipe for the charm to work."

"It looks cooler." Harry says.

"You could draw and throw in one movement." Hermione says, not looking up from her book.

"I guess you're right." I put the card back and swipe it out again. "Now I need to figure out _why _it needs a swipe." I sit back down across from Harry and hold up the card. "Black cards are the simple attack cards. It'll knock you over if it hits you directly and it has enough of a kick to make you stumble if you have one pop near your feet. One point if you hit someone with it. You can throw these as fast as you can draw them."

"What if you knock somebody into a wall or something? Won't it hurt?" Harry asks.

"I figure I'd have to put cushioning charms on the floors and any obstacles. It wouldn't look good if anyone caved their heads in." I draw out a red card. "Red cards are the stunners. They don't fly as well as the blacks so they are only really good from a couple metres away. Think of them as the kill card, they teleport you back to your base where you are out of action for one minute, the timer might change in the future, I'm don't know. Ten points if you land one of these properly, but you can only use one every 10 seconds, you can't jump behind the enemies cover and stun them all." I hand the card to Harry.

"How does it teleport you?" He turns the card in his hand. "A portkey?"

I tilt my head side to side. "Kind of. It's similar to what Freya and I do, So you know if a red card has hit because they burst into flames. Kind of like when you stake a vampire."

"You have experience in staking vampires?" Harry asks incredulously.

"Nah, I just assume they burst into flames." I pull out a blue card. "Blues are the intercepts. These things were the hardest to make. Throw them in the general direction of a flying card and it chases them down. The more accurate you are with your throw the higher the chance of the intercept working. You get a point if you intercept, you can throw these as fast as you can draw. Forget the teleporting triggers, these blues are my crowning jewel." I say proudly whilst gazing at the blue 4 of clubs.

"Mr. Jackson." Flitwick appears beside me. "Forgive my eavesdropping, but may I take a look?" He asks hopefully.

"Sure." I hand him a blue, black, and red. "The wristband is needed to activate them." He slips in on his wrist and waves his wand over the card. "Now, the green card." I pass one to Harry. "Activate this and you get a translucent, card shaped shield. It absorbs three of any card and if you catch three spells with one shield you get a point. After it drops you can't use a green for 5 seconds. All these times are just temporary of course."

"Can these stop a siege-card?" Hermione asks, now interested. I shake my head.

"Even pinks can't stop siege-cards."

"Pinks?"

I draw a pink card. "Placeable walls. Slap one on the floor or on a wall and you've got almost unbreakable cover for one minute. After it runs out you can't use another pink for five minutes, so six minutes between placing one. Unlike green cards, these can absorb any number of cards, excluding the siege-cards. You can throw one of these and it creates cover where it lands. It's about six feet long and three high, good enough to crouch behind and it's like the green shield, so you can see through it."

"If you've got one flying, can a blue card intercept it before it deploys?" Harry asks.

"Honestly, I've no idea." I smile. "This is why I needed another perspective. I think, in its current state, a blue card would hit the flying pink and trigger it like any other card. So it would still make the cover, but in the wrong place."

"That could be good to keep. Although negating it it flight would be more useful." Harry says. "How far do the pinks fly?"

"Only a couple of metres before they drop down, you could maybe get three metres if you angled it right." I swipe an orange card from my belt. "The last one I've got is the trap card. Only set off by the opposing team. Lay it on the floor to create a trap. You and your allies can see the orange ring from any distance, but the enemy can only see it from seven feet away. The trigger is four feet, that's how big the ring is. Catch someone in the ring and you get two points. The trap stays for 15 minutes currently and you can only place a trap card every 2 minutes. So if you've got someone chasing you, they will not see the trap until it's too late if you're both running."

"What does the trap do?" Hermione asks.

"Traps you inside the circle and negates your ability to draw blues." I tell her.

"The blues disarm the trap?" She asks.

"Exactly. You're stuck there until a team-mate comes along to disarm it or the trap runs out."

"Can you still use other cards inside the trap?" Harry asks. I nod. "So you're not completely defenceless." A smirk spreads across his features. "What happens if you throw a siege-card at a trapped player, or a player in general?"

"Waste one on a player?" My eyebrows shoot up as I smile. "Hmm. You know that really strong one you made?" He nods. "That's what the siege-cards are going to be like, Initially I was worried about the explosion, but if I charm the whole zone with tons of safeguards it will be fine." I drum my fingers on the table. "The trap wouldn't offer any protection."

Harry starts to fill out and owl order form to Zonko's. "Two hundred packs ok?" I nod eagerly. "That's like £600." He signs his name at he bottom. "Did you know I got a bounty for killing Voldemort?" I try not to laugh. It doesn't go well. "It's ridiculous." He says grumpily.

"Maybe you can off him again and get more gold?" I suggest. He idly rubs his scar. "Barzúl. It's probably a late warning, but if that necklace I gave you warns you of legilimency starts to buzz and your scar hurts, you _really_ need to take it off."

Hedwig swoops in and Harry ties the letter to her outstretched leg. "Why?" He asks.

"Last year. Remember the dream about the graveyard?" He nods. "Maybe it had something to do with ol' Voldey and your scar. It might happen again, don't sleep with it on."

Flitwick comes back from the teachers table with the cards. "These are amazing." He wears a wide smile. "NEWT level, if not higher. What are they for?" He gives me the cards back, they dutifully fly into the open belt pouches.

"A card game." I say simply.

"A .. Card game?"

"Granted there is running and jumping and explosions, but a card game nonetheless." I slip the band back onto my wrist. "You have to fight and siege the other team's base. I want to start a club, but sadly all student organisations need a Professor to overlook the club." I sigh dramatically.

"Tell me everything." He says.

* * *

><p>"These belts are magnificent." Flitwick says.<p>

It took another week, but with his help I've managed to iron out the bugs in the charms and get enough cards set up. I made 9 more belts whilst Harry was charging the cards, He's like a human battery. I hope to finish my alchemical lapis soon so that I can charge cards as fast as is needed, Even Harry has his limits. Flitwick lets us use his room after dinner for the club meetings. Neville, Luna, Ginny, Fred, George, Harry, Hermione, Freya, Lisa and myself make up the club members. Dumbledore is also here for this one.

"Freya and I have been to Gringotts and the idea is mine now." Ragnok was most helpful in securing the rights. "I've got enough belts done and We've got enough cards ready for a five aside game tomorrow. I've booked the Quidditch pitch from lunch until three o'clock. Plenty of time for a game or two as well as preparation. Professor Dumbledore has agreed to make us an arena to play in. I will referee as I can fix any bugs that interrupt the gameplay."

"That's only nine people." Luna says.

"Which is why Professor Flitwick will be playing." He grins. I know he's wanted to play all week. "I suppose Flitwick and … Harry? Can be the team captains." I Pull out the pouch of wristbands. "I'll set up the bands now to save time. So, Harry, Hermione, Fred, George, and Ginny on one team?" They nod, Fred and George grin as I hand them their bands. "Flitwick, Luna, Neville, Freya, and Lisa on the other." I give them their bands. "No phoenix flashing, It's against the rules." Freya pouts.

"Are the siege-cards going to be around at the start?" Lisa asks. I shake head.

"I'll drop them in groups of three after a few minutes. Don't worry about using them against each other, the charms won't let anything actually hurt you. So throw exploding cards at one and other all you like."

"What happens if the belt malfunctions?" Flitwick asks. He didn't help with them, so I understand his concern.

"There is a triangle on the wristband, press that and it will tell me if you need me." I slip my gamemaster band on. A small fluxline display glows above it.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I've had some comments about Zack's level of power VS Harry's. Zack is not a powerhouse. Harry has an enormous amount magical power, He is like a great big battery. Zack is fairly strong, above average but not at Nevilles level, who is well above average. **

**I'll put a breakdown of the card types and points on my profile for quick reference. Enjoy!**


	52. Chapter 52: Card game Test match one

Chapter 52: Card game. Test match one

By the time we arrive at the Quidditch pitch the stands are about half full, there isn't much else to do on a non-Hogsmeade Sunday. Dumbledore has created a playground for us with a base at either end and a few smaller buildings dotted between the trees. Each playerband has been equipped with the same spectator charm that was used on us during the triwizard tournament which allows the screens to watch the players, the only difference here being that the players cannot see the screens this time. We are currently assembled in the clearing in the centre of the map, double checking the gear.

"Everything looks good." Flitwick says, scanning the floor for correctly functioning safety charms.

"Of course it does." I say with exaggerated pompousness. "I made it."

"Perhaps a more permanent playing field in future?" Albus says, conjuring himself a chair. "Even now, in my prime, I'm afraid the trees lack definition to conserve power." I stare at the elderly man.

"You just did the work that would take 10 men hours in about 40 minutes." I say incredulously. "I think we can allow some untextured leaves."

"How about we start this off then?" Fred says, spinning a card on the tip of his finger.

"We're itching to go." George says.

The group fidget in front of me. "Might as well." I wave them into a rough circle around me and prepare a sonorous charm on my throat. "Uh, thanks for coming." I say lamely to the spectators and turn to the players. "I'd say I want a clean game, but there's no fun in that." I pull out a red card and enlarge it big enough for all the players to stand on. "Modified red. Only thing I can use to get you to the bases simultaneously." They all step onto the card. "Excelsior." The card pulses and the players dissolve into licks of fire, I fly up into the air to get a better view.

Each base is of identical makeup, Four simple walls with a doorway on each side. Harry's team has a large red crystal in t he centre and the whole structure is blanketed by a red forcefield. Flitwick's team has a blue crystal with a blue shield. The shields can be breached by four siege-cards and then the game is over. In future I might have them attack the crystal, but it's just an illusion for now. I forgot to tell them about the shields as they only just figured out they can pass through them. A player can walk both ways through their teams shield, but not the opposing team's.

Both teams slowly make their way towards the centre, if we play on a larger scale the bases will not simply be at the boundaries like they are on the Quidditch pitch. The middle of the map has less trees but has a sort of ruins structure, lots of low walls. Flitwick's team arrive first and enter the foundations of a building that still has window holes. I settle on top of the tallest spire as Harry's team arrive. They spread out and move through the ruins.

The first card is thrown by Neville, a black that hits a wall by Hermione causing her to spin and throw her own whilst diving behind a wall. They now know where the others are. Fred and George begin to assault the walls in an attempt to get a card through a window. Freya and Lisa duck out of the building and start to move around to get a side angle on the red team.

Hermione and Ginny, using the twins barrage as cover, move towards the building. Harry put a trap card in a doorway behind him and spots Freya and Lisa behind a wall.

"Two on our right." He calls out with a grin.

He starts to throw blacks as Ginny and Hermione begin an exchange of reds, blacks and greens with Flitck and Luna. A stray black almost hits Harry, but Fred catches it with a blue a few feet from him. Neville manages to duck behind a wall and attempts a red on the twins. Ginny, seeing this, throws her pink just in time to protect them.

"Thank you, sister of ours." They chorus and throw an orange card each towards the general direction of Freya.

I pull three siege-cards from my satchel and drop them on top of a wall.

"First siege-card drop!" I call out over the battlefield. I float above the cards. "Three cards."

Harry, being the closest to the wall, runs to it and starts to unsteadily climb the rough wall.

"He's going for the cards!" Neville calls out.

Flitwick expertly flicks a pink card at the base of the wall, pulls a green out and starts to run. The pink card hits the wall a few feet up and creates a wonky platform. The small crowd cheers and leans forward in anticipation as Flitwick jump and runs up the pink shield.

"Flitwick! Flitwick! Flitwick!" They chant.

He reaches the top of his impromptu ramp, but is still too low. Harry is almost at the cards. Flitwick pulls out a black card, jumps and then throws the card down, propelling his small body upwards and snatches the cards from the top of the wall. The crowd roars. He tucks them under his arm and pulls out another green to cover his escape and runs towards his waiting team.

He suddenly smacks into a pale orange wall. He's stuck in a trap that Harry had thrown from the wall.

"Excellent!" Fred calls as he moves closer, intercepting Flitwick's attacks.

George jumps out from behind a wall and flicks a red at Flitwick, sending him back to the base. Hermione lands her pink between the trap and the blue team. George picks up the siege-cards and gives the blue team a one fingered salute. After a moment of chatter, they activate greens and run forward. They absorb a few blacks and get a few metres from the assembled red team.

Suddenly a large black card sails elegantly from Ginny's outstretched hand and hits Lisa in the chest, there is a loud bang and black smoke explodes, throwing the whole team backwards and onto the floor. The red team run forward and finish them off with red cards.

"The other siege-cards must be in the outposts." Hermione says "We only need 2 more and we can win."

Fred is designated as the siege-card holder as they go off in search of the outposts.

The blue team awaken at their base grinning madly, not disheartened by the loss of the first fight. Flitwick quickly forms a plan.

"Ms. Turpin. If you would please come with me, we will find the loose siege-cards." He says. "You three, go and find the others and either beat them, or force them into wasting their siege-cards."

They nod and split apart once they leave their bases forcefield.

* * *

><p>"Any cards?" Harry calls to Ginny.<p>

The red team have found a small ruined tower and currently keep watch as Ginny searches for the siege-card.

"I've got it!" She calls out. She runs out of the building and a black card throws her back through the doorway.

Neville, Freya and Luna were hiding in the trees waiting to see if there was one inside. Neville and Luna catch the twins with red cards and Freya uses a green to block Harry's red and with her other hand throws a trap card at him. Hermione banishes the trap instantly with a blue and Neville traps Ginny inside the building with a pink card. Luna catches Harry's hand with a blue just as he tries to use a black, throwing him backwards.

Freya hits Hermione with a red and holds up a green to block Harry now that he has recovered. Neville pops up from behind a wall and catches Harry with a black then a red. The pink falls and Luna sticks Ginny with a red card.

"Three siege cards." Neville says happily. An orange card clicks under his feet. "That would have been bad if it happened a few seconds earlier." Luna uses a blue on the trap.

"We'll go and unload these cards onto their shields now." She says. They each take a card.

"They'll be awake now." Freya says as they start to jog. "Throw it as soon as we get out of the treeline."

* * *

><p>"Three cards." Harry laughs. "I think we've probably lost." I cancel my disillusion charm.<p>

"Enjoying yourselves?" I grin.

"Bloody brilliant." George says.

"Don't suppose you've got few siege-cards in that bag for us?" Fred asks, eyeing my satchel.

"That'd be unfair." I chuckle. "but ..." I take one of Georges blue cards. "They've assembled five siege-cards." I tell them. "Which of course is one more than they need." I glance at my fluxline control panel. "20 seconds." I mutter. I enlarge the blue card. I spin a dial on the fluxline. "I never said you can't go out without a bang." I hand Harry the blue siege-card. "You are the most accurate. They are going to win, so try and catch one of the five." I disillusion myself and fly upwards.

Flitwick and Lisa have regrouped with the others and are running towards the red team base.

"Throw them all as soon as you have a clear shot." Flitwick calls out as they rush between the trees. All of them are wearing mad grins.

"Now!" Neville calls out.

They flick their siege-cards like frisbees and they sail towards the red forcefield. Harry throws the blue siege-card straight ahead, the curve is slower than the small ones, but he is accurate enough to have it head straight into Neville's card just before the other ones hit. The forcefield vanishes and the two opposing siege-cards slam into each other, exploding with such force that I get knocked out of the air and trees get pushed over.

The crowd cheer as we slowly get to our feet and regroup.

"What the hell was that card?" Neville laughs. I float down and become visible.

"I quickly cooked up a siege variant of the blue. You had enough cards to take out the forcefield." I shrug.

They laugh and pant from the exertion. Dumbledore conjures us some sofas.

"Blue team win, obviously." I say, I twirl my fingers through my control panel. "Red team earned 63 points and Blue team ended with 105. The siege-cards earned 40 of those, you would have only lead by 2 points otherwise." I deactivate the equipment using my leather bracer. Dumbledore calls a house-elf for some refreshments and conjures a table.

"As you can tell from the cheers, the event was very popular." He says. I look around and smile.

"All the equipment work ok?" I ask everyone.

"The trap card pouch on my belt didn't slide very well." Lisa says, throwing her belt to me. "I had to do it twice for a card."

All of the charms are set into the belts already, I created them in such a way that I could easily manipulate them from my master controller, so I can create custom set-ups, only let certain players use traps or lower cooldowns for 'classes'.

"Ah, the drawing rune was just misaligned." I explain. "Should be fine in future." I put the belt back on the pile. Freya removes the necklace I gave her to block the link. She shakes her head.

"That was … odd." She says.

"It would have been an unfair advantage if you could see from my point of view." I remind her.

"At least you made it before you started creating the charms for the gear. That would have sucked." She admits.

"Why?" Hermione asks. Freya looks at me, I shrug.

"When he makes complex charms, he is running hundreds of number through his head. I usually go to another continent so I don't have to have that mashing against my head." I laugh.

"This bracer send so much information into my head." I say. "How many cards are in each pouch of which belt, the strength of the charms on all the cards and equipment. Co-ordinates of all the players, each band, belt, card or wall. Straight in here." I tap my head.

"That's why you didn't play?" Harry asks.

"Well I could just take it off, but I wanted to make sure everything works right." I tell him. "Now, the most important thing I've learned." I look at Flitwick. "You did a blasting card jump. That was awesome."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: A small scale test game, everything works correctly. Once they get used to the cards it will be even more interesting and they will be able to throw cards accurately with both hands. **

**I will be dipping back into the metamorphing and alchemy stuff soon, i've lost my way since i had no computer for a month or so. Honestly i've forgotten some of the story, Hopefully it's still interesting.**

**Freya and Zack are not going to 'bang'. I wouldn't say they are like siblings as it's not right. They share one mind, it can be separated with the amulet. He will probably admire her perfectly healthy human body, he is a teenager after all.**


	53. Chapter 53: The stone

Chapter 53: The stone

Freya and Harry appear in a small burst of fire in my bedroom. Harry frowns.

"She said you were dying and it was an emergency." Freya giggles. I smile and shake my head.

"Nothing so dramatic sadly." I motion to the large sapphire. "I've got all the ash imbued into the lapis already, I just need a final push to set everything in place."

I've been working almost non-stop for a week pursuing the creation of my alchemical lapis. This will allow me to charge the cards myself and get some serious speed when flying. The reserves won't be amazing as it's not an earth element, but still huge due to the size and quality of the gem. Thanks to the phoenix ashes, it's a fire type and if I've got it worked out correctly then it will be able to throw out huge amounts of power really quickly.

"How can I help?" He ask. I point to a wooden rod pointing out from the base.

"Grab onto that and I'll do everything else." I say. He holds the stick.

This will act as a conduit for his magic. Normally I would have him hold onto my forearm, but I don't fancy having that much magic coursing through my arm when I'm doing the delicate work. I draw my wand and hold it above the gem.

"Oh, Let go if you think you're going to die." I tell him.

I tap the gem with the tip of my wand and switch on my mage sight. Harry's magic pours down the stick. At first I thought to use metal, but magic prefers living things, which is why we use wood in our wands. The gem starts to visibly glow as the enchant sets in.

"Zack." Harry says.

"One second." I hold my breath. "Ok, let go." He snatches his hand away and sits on my bed.

"That was exhausting." He falls backward, panting heavily. I run my finger over my bald head. Don't want any hair catching fire.

"I should have used holly." I pick up the channelling rod and set it on fire. "Sorry about that." I throw the burning stick out of the window. "When I was picking a stick up in the forbidden forest I was chased by a blue car. It seemed angry with me." Harry laughs.

"Still living in the forest then?" He grins. "Did it work?" He looks at the glowing gem.

"Yep." I pat the lapis. "I'll give it a few days to charge. One of the enchants draws on ambient magic, and we're on top of so many magical ley-lines that it will charge pretty fast." I pick up the glowing gem.

"It's a bit more flashy that the philosophers stone I held." Harry comments.

"It's like a drop of water in an ocean compared to the power of Nick's stone though." I laugh. "More like an atom in the universe of power that he has …" I trail off. "Well, thanks again. You can go back to your lady." He tries to protest, but Freya takes him back and reappears with a flash instantly.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" She looks at me.

"I think it's the other way round." I stare at the gem. "An atom in the universe." I say in awe. I flash into Tonks' flat. She's sitting at her kitchen table eating cereal.

"Zack!" She jumps up and hugs me. "What's wrong?" Noticing my lack of response, she looks at the stone in my hand. "You finished it?"

"What?" I shake my head. "This? Oh." I drop it on the floor and grab her hands. "An atom, Tonks." I say enthusiastically.

"An atom?" She repeats slowly.

"A minute ago a likened my stone to Nick's philosophers stone." I point to the blue gem on the floor.

"Nick?"

"Flamel." I wave my hand dismissively. "I said 'a drop of water in an ocean.' quickly followed by 'an atom ion the universe.'"

"So your stone is weak?" She says slowly. Freya giggles happily.

"Not weak. Well compared to his then yes, it's weak, but stand alone and it's strong." I pout. "That's not the point." I pick my stone up and brush the fake dust off. "This just holds power. I tried to imagine what Nick did to have his hold so much power, but I never could. I was thinking of muggle science, a cell holding energy. Then I tried to think of magic, I thought maybe the gem was bigger on the inside."

"So what?" Tonks asks. I smile at her.

"Stars fuse hydrogen atoms together to for helium. It's why they give out so much energy, they are not simply burning fuel, they'd burn out in a few millennia if they did. No, they are made up of huge amount of helium, ours is anyway."

"So you are going to use magic to make a mini sun in the form of a philosophers stone?" Tonks says slowly. "It's not a battery, but a generator?"

"Exactly!" I jump in the air. "You're a genius! I'm a genius! I could kiss you!" I turn to her and kiss her anyway. "But how to fuse atoms together with magic?" I sit on her sofa and stare at my gem.

"Does it have to be helium?" Tonks asks. Freya says no. "How about something we have a lot of in the air? Say … nitrogen?"

"Too difficult …" I slap myself if the forehead. "Magic." I laugh once. "It'll be easy." I lean back and look at Tonks. "Hi."

"How's school?" She picks up her cereal and sits beside me.

"Same old, same old." I say. "Do you get a day off any time soon? You could watch a game of siege-cards." She summons a calender. Her cereal consumption speed slows dramatically as she reads.

"I'm not needed tomorrow." She says.

"Hufflepuff against the Slytherin team." I say. "We have the pitch booked each Sunday. Albus just enlarges small carvings of the game-zone now."

"Albus?" She arches an eyebrow. "I'm not even in school any more and I still call him 'Professor'."

"Just a habit." I shrug. "Do you want to go grab some lunch?"

"Not until you grow some hair." She looks at my head. "Why don't you have any?" I pat my head.

"Oh, I didn't want it to catch on fire again." I grow out some deep purple spikes.

"Again?" She asks, grabbing her coat.

"He was playing around with his stone and his hair caught on fire." Freya laughs. "I'll see you later." She hugs me and vanishes.

"Turns out phoenix ashes are quite volatile." I scoop my gem into a pocket of my coat, it burps as it takes it in.

"Did your coat just burp?" Tonks says, locking her door.

"Sometimes it bites me." The enlarged pocket have the perk of also reducing the relative weight of whatever is inside. "It sort of developed itself. I never enchanted it that way."

She takes my hand as we walk towards the Cauldron. Steak and chips are today's special. We order two from Tom.

"Comin' righ' up." He says.

"How's work been?" She sighs. "That bad?"

"Fudge is still dead against the notion of You-know-who's apparent resurrection." We accept our food. "Normal people don't go around saying _his _name like you do. Most people remember the taboo that came with saying it."

"I hear it gives you an impending sense of doom when other people say it." I tuck in to my steak. "I wonder how _he _puled it off."

"I'll go out on a limb and say dark magic." Tonks smirks.

"Maybe it will disappear when Harry kills him."

"Why Harry?"

"He's the chosen one of course." I say. "How about Madam Bones, Does she think Voldey is back?"

"She does, but we can't increase security anywhere without Fudge poking his nose in and pulling us out." She sighs. "I don't think he is a fan of our … friendship. He's not your biggest fan."

"Tonks!" A chirpy man says. I glance at his clothes, clearly an Auror.

"Wotcher, Savage." Tonks replies, with much less enthusiasm.

"Not working today?" He asks.

"Not this weekend, no." He nods and looks at me.

"Latest boyfriend?" He asks her.

"Yes, actually." She says. He blinks.

"You want to keep an eye on this one." He says to me with a lecherous.

'Keep grinning and I'll cut your fucking legs off.' I want to say.

"I will." I say through gritted teeth, I think it passes as a smile. "We were just about to leave actually." Tonks grabs onto my left hand as we stand up. I hold the other one out to Savage. "It was nice meeting you, er Sandwich, was it?"

"Savage." He says extending his hand to meet mine. I grab his hand and squeeze, something pops as I pull him closer until his ear is level with my face.

"I you so much as _look _at Tonks wrongly I'll cut out your heart and feed it to you." I pull back wearing the same grin. "Until next time, Sandwich." I release his hand and we walk into Diagon Alley.

Tonks can't help but laugh as the portal grinds closed behind us. "I can't believe you did that." She gasps.

"Too far?" I can't help but smile.

"He fancies himself a 'ladies man'. Harasses all the women at work. If he wasn't a Senior Auror he'd get fired." We walk down the street.

"Maybe I could fire him." I offer. "Emphasis on the _fire_ part."

"I think it'll be alright."

"Let me know if he keeps at it."

"I can look after myself you know."

"True, but if you do anything you might lose your job." I say.

"I guess so." She says grudgingly. "How about some ice-cream?"

"Always room for ice-cream." We walk into Florean Fortescue's Ice-cream parlour.

"Giant raspberry and blueberry?" Mr. Fortescue asks Tonks. She nods and grins. "Same as ever.

"Uh, Just chocolate for me thanks." I say. "Huge, of course."

"Of course, of course." He laughs and fill bowls with ice-cream. "That'll be two galleons." I give him two golden coins and we take our seats.

"Buying me lunch and ice-cream?"

"I've just cracked the theory for making a philosophers stone." I laugh. "I think I can afford some food."

"You really think you can do it then?" Tonks asks after eating for a while.

"Everything is achievable through magic."

"You sound like you're trying to market weight loss potions for 'Only 16 galleons a month!'"

"If Nick has done it, then I'm sure I can."

"How long do you think you'll take?" She asks.

I eat some more ice-cream. "I'll need to get a nice looking gem first." I pull out the sapphire. "This thing is impractical. Maybe I could put it on a ring?" I feel the weight of the resurrection stone in my arm.

"A ring would be cool." Tonks nods enthusiastically.

"But people would expect something bigger." I scratch my head. "Maybe something the size of a kiwi?"

"There was a rumour in my last year in Hogwarts that Harry found one." She slowly eat the ice-cream. "How big was that one?"

"I think he said it was about the size of a potato, but potatoes vary in size. Probably the size of my fist." I scratch my chin. "I don't suppose you know anything about metamorphs and animagi, do you? I meant to ask McGonagall, slipped my mind."

"I asked in my sixth year. She said it's tricky for most people, no metamorph has been documented as an animagus. Both skills are rare, for both to collide? Even rarer. Why? Are you going to try?" I nod.

"I like to think that I could either change my animal slightly, or pick whatever I want."

"I always thought I'd be a chameleon." She says.

"Wouldn't suit me. I don't really blend in." I smile. Tonks laughs.

"Too right." We finish our ice-cream. "I was going to clean my flat before you turned up."

"I'm not busy, I'll help." I should probably be preparing the zone for tomorrow.

We give our bowls back and flash to Tonks' flat.

"It's a real mess." She says. "Maybe the living room today?"

"Sounds more manageable." I agree. We start to tackle the rubbish.

Tonks sits of her sofa after a while.

"What does your base form look like?" She asks. I flash the ring out of my arm and into my coat.

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours." I smirk. She throws a pillow at me.

"Deal." She stands up and we strip to our underwear. "On three? One. Two. Three."

I close my eyes and relax my body. It doesn't take much concentration or strain to stay in a well practised and established form, but relaxing into my base feels right. I feel my skin move around and my bones grow shorter. I hiss through my teeth as my second heart disappears.

"Are you ok?" Tonks asks.

"I just lost a heart." I chuckle. "I'll be fine." I open my eyes.

"Your scars." She whispers.

"Less than adequate care in an orphanage." I say.

"Well? What do you think?" She asks nervously.

"Er." I swallow. "I can't see."

"What do you mean?" She asks.

"I'm blind." She gasps. "Well not completely, but I can only see a blob. No offence." She tuts.

"Fix your eyes." She says. I smile and alter the insides.

"Mon dieu." I breath. She's beautiful. She presses her body against mine.

"Right answer." She whispers in my ear.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I tend to take out a lot of this fluffy stuff between characters, but often the most idle days are the most important.**

**I don't tend to call out single commentors, but if Joe Lawyer gets to this point and reads this - Zack could easily be swimming in gold, but despite all the madness and magic, even his own mind occasionally, He is still a humble sort.**

**The philosophers stone works like a star, Zack will end up using magic as a shortcut to trigger some kind of quantum tunnelling on some part of the air. IF this doesn't make sense, just chalk it up to 'Magic'. Enjoy.**


	54. Chapter 54: A word with McGongall

Chapter 54: A word with McGongall

Whilst my culinary skills are not Michelin star material, I can still pull together a good old English breakfast.

"No breakfast in bed?" Tonks asks as she sees the food on the table.

"Well we used the table last night, so I suppose you could call it a bed." She laughs and sits opposite me.

"Where'd the food come from?"

"That Tesco just round the corner." I drink some pumpkin juice.

"I have an alarm on the door though." She says, puzzled.

"Ah, the door I so frequently use?" I smirk. She pouts and continues to eat.

I pick my coat up from the table and pull the lapis from a pocket, It seems to be about ¾ full.

"After the game I'll go for a fly." I say. "I wanna see how fast I can go."

Freya bursts into the room and burns up instantly. I quickly scoop her up and cast a heating charm on a towel to act as a makeshift nest.

"Cutting it close as ever." I comment, she has left a hefty pile of ashes. "Do you think all of this is like normal phoenix ash?" I say aloud.

"Could be." Tonks strokes Freya's fluffy head. "It's still her body. She hasn't burned as a human before?" I shake my head.

"She's had one burning since she could transform, but she switched into a phoenix again about 10 seconds before it happened." I gather the ashes into a pouch. "The clothes didn't survive even with the charms."

"Not your average fire I'd wager."

"Too right." I start gathering my discarded clothes. "Can I leave her with you today? I'm the only one that can start up the game properly." I hop around trying to pull my trousers on. "I don't like the idea of having her out in the cold. Regular warming charms won't cut it I don't think." I cast a _tempus_ charm to find out I have 25 minutes before the match is due to start. I pull on my waistcoat and cast a tie-charm. "How do I look?" I comb my fingers through my hair.

"Like someone who had mad sex for hours and is trying not to look like it." She smirks. I laugh.

"Perfect." I swing my coat on, kiss Tonks' forehead and flash into the Great Hall with a slightly larger burst of fire than anticipated. Those closest yelp, many heads turn in my direction. "Wotcher." I sit down opposite Harry.

"About time you showed up." He says with a smirk.

"I was busy." I straighten my tie. Hermione snorts.

"Clearly." She says.

"The arena can just about run itself now. I'll make gamemaster bands so I don't have to be here for every single one." I say.

"What about all the information?" She asks. "Not everyone can do that."

"Oh, my bracer is … think of it as a debug mode." I say. "The normal gamemaster ones will be able to start games and all that. Mine is the editing tool, custom cooldowns and stuff like that." She nods in acceptance.

"We will probably be needing a new arena soon." Harry says. "7 players on each side this time. If we go much bigger then it will be too cramped."

"I don't know, I think having a lot of people in a small area adds to the fun." I start wolfing down sandwiches.

"Miss breakfast or something?" Harry asks.

"Or something." I smirk. Hermione shakes her head with a smile.

"I'm surprised the Professors let you come and go as you please." She says. I glance up at the head table.

"It's not really a case of letting me do it, they couldn't really stop me. Short of suppressing my magic there isn't much that can." I explain to her. "If they ask me to stay, I will."

"Just like that?" She says.

"Yep. As long as I keep on top of my school work and act as a good role model for the students I'm responsible for, I think they will give me some leeway." I turn back to Hermione. "McGonagall probably doesn't approve of my comings and goings. Ol' Snape is probably apathetic about it because I'm not Harry." Harry snorts.

"Sounds about right." He glances up at the greasy man. "He seems slightly more … not unhappy than usual."

"It's because of the Slytherin team I'd say." I look at the snake's table. "It's their Quidditch team, who happen to all be fair duellists for their age. More accurate with card throws once they get used to it."

"Nothing compared to Susan Bones." Hermione nods at the 'Puffs table. "Last year in DADA she told me that her Aunt insisted on teaching her. She's rumoured to be the best in the school. No offence, Harry." She kisses his cheek. He shrugs.

"I've not had any formal training. I was told I'd make a good Auror by a deatheater." He laughs dryly.

"I think the only difference between Mad-Eye's level of sanity and a death eater's is the side they fight for." I comb my hair back. "I'm thinking cat ears today." A pair of blue ears poke through my mess of hair.

"How'd the stone turn out, by the way?" Harry asks as I grow my ears. "You kind of left abruptly."

"All good. Stable too, so I didn't blow anything up. Sorry about the channelling, You recovered OK?" The wood should always match the wizard.

"I fell asleep in the common room, I was fine by lunch." I look around the hall.

"We should probably get moving, seems like everyone is going now." I stand up and pick another sandwich. We move with the crowd out of the door.

"Where's Freya today?" Hermione asks.

"She died earlier today, she's staying with Tonks."

"You don't always have to say she died you know." She frowns. "It sounds so … final." I smile and laugh a bit.

"She dies though." I shrug. McGonagall walks past us with a steady pace. "Professor." I say, speeding up briefly.

"Mr. Jackson." She says.

"I was wondering if I could discuss a bit of theory with you." I say. "It's not school work, this is you 'day-off' so to speak." She looks at me and her eyes flicker up to my new ears briefly. "I was wondering if you could tell me if I could be an animagus. Normally such a question would be pointless, as everyone has the potential, but being a metamorph I was wondering if it's even possible for me."

She stays silent for a while as we walk towards the Quidditch pitch.

"Normally, it is true that every witch or wizard holds the potential to complete the transformation." She says slowly. "It is easier for some than others and certain classes of wizards are an exceptions to the normal rule. Werewolves for example, cannot become animagi because their inner-wolf 'counts' as their form."

"So they are sort of animagi by default?" I ask. She nods.

"Veela are another exception. A Veela's avian form fill the slot of an animagi. Those affected by Vampirism are 'dead' according to some magical theorists, although they can train to become an animagi, but their form is set in stone as a bat for whatever reason."

"What if they had a form before being afflicted?" I ask.

"It has only been documented three times and every time their form changed into a bat and they had to relearn the transformation." She says sadly. "The only remaining vampire that had a form beforehand is currently one of the foremost researchers in the animagus transformation. She is very respected in her field, despite the public stigma of Vampirisim."

"That'd suck." I say. "Having one form your whole life and it suddenly changing. You have to know your form inside and out, quite literally." If you get even one bone wrong the whole thing could end badly. "Are metamorphs an exception to the general rule?" She frowns slightly and looks at me.

"Mr. Jackson, You have to understand that there have not been many metamorphagi. At all. A couple might spring up every century or so and they generally do not make themselves known." She says hastily.

"Bad news?" She sighs and nods.

"In most fields that study the biology of witches and wizards, they tend to agree on one thing about metamorphagi." She takes a breath. "The animagus talent is considered to be very human, despite what it actually does. Veela are said to be part human, part bird. Vampire's are, or were, once human. Werewloves are biologically bar one night a month."

"And metamorphs?"

"Most magical theoreticians don't know if you are human at all." She bites her lip. I frown.

"That's not very nice." I say. My ears flick around on my head.

"No, I suppose not."

"And Tonks?" She shakes her head.

"They didn't say the same thing about ." She admits. "But she couldn't do ..." She waves her hand to my ears. "Whatever it is you do. They write about you often in _Transfiguration Monthly._"

"They do?" I arch an eyebrow. "What's the general consensus on the animagus front then?"

"Their theory is that there is nothing stopping you from turning into any animal of your choosing right here, right now."

"Because they already count me as one?" I ask.

"Not exactly. They are fascinated by your abilities." She says. "They've written to me eight times asking to meet you."

"What did you say to them?"

"I sent them a … strongly worded letter telling them to ask you themselves." She smirks. McGonagall sent them a howler?

"Maybe I'll pay them, a visit. Clear some things up for them." I say. "Are they based in Diagon Alley?"

"A bit further down, the signs should be able to guide you." She says as we arrive at the Quidditch pitch. Convenient timing.

I meet up with the two teams in the clearing at the centre of the pitch.

"Right, Hufflepuffs leader?" I ask the group.

"Why do we need a leader?" One of them asks.

"In case you need a plan, you know who's to pick." I say. They all look at Susan, who blushes slightly. "Susan, was it?"

"Bones." She says. I run my finger along the band and hand the auto-bands to the rest of their team.

"And for Slytherin?" I turn to the group. They all turn to Malfoy. "Draco, right?" He frowns.

"Malfoy." I tap his band and the others put theirs on.

"I'll fix it so the leader band automatically recognises the player in future. You lot are my guinea pigs today. All know the objectives?" They nod. "It mostly runs itself, so the siege-cards will drop in automatically now." I glance down at my fluxline bracer. "Should any of the equipment malfunction, press the triangle on your band. Do it now to make sure those work." 14 blips pop up in the weave. "Good luck." I clap and they all get transported to their respective bases.

I fly into the stands and land beside Harry. "Don't you need to be watching?" He asks. I tap my bracer. "Ah." He nods in acceptance.

"Zack!" Tonks? I look to my left to see Tonks walking towards us with a short girl in tow, Freya.

"That was a quick rebirth." I say, hugging them each in turn.

"I pushed a bit more into it, apparently I can turn into a human this early." She says, glaring at Lavender Brown's 'awwww'.

"Then clothes won't split as you grow will they?" I ask. "It's a bit chilly out here." Tonks shakes her head.

"They're mine." Tonks has most of her clothes custom tailored to resize to her body. "I think she looks cute." Tonks hugs Freya tightly. I smile as Freya squirms in her arms.

"_Don't say it._" She warns me via the connection. "_I can cook your brain you know._"

"_I know that you can't._" I say. "Very cute." She scowls as Tonks hugs her tighter.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Zack is very much human, despite his appearance at times. The professionals said it as a joke about the apparent limits of Zack's powers, or rather lack of limits. McGonagall built it up because she was unsure of how to tell Zack in a way that didn't sound like an insult. A philosophers stone would be a nice way to boost the available energy to power the morphing, right? **

**Sorry about the delay on this one. Enjoy.**


	55. Chapter 55: Transfiguration Monthly

Chapter 55: Transfiguration Monthly

I recount my conversation with McGonagall to Tonks as the match progresses. Slytherin have two siege-cards ready and Hufflepuff holds one, having used one for an attack.

"I was thinking of flying down there after the game." I say.

"Fly? With the stone?" Tonks asks. "That's like 400 miles." I scratch my chin.

"It'd take about 2 hours if my estimations are right."

"Could it sustain for that long at full power? You wouldn't want to run out of juice in the air."

"Maybe 45 minutes at full burn." I pull the gem from my coat. "It's not full either. I'll flash to the Leaky Cauldron afterwards." I stow the gem. "Don't fancy coming along? They'd have a field day if a couple of metamorphs walked through their door." She wrinkles her face.

"I don't want to be leered at by some old perv." I can't help but laugh. "Did McGonagall tell you who the vampire is?" I shake my head.

"I figure that I can ask the guys at _Transfiguration Monthly _for her name, maybe where to find her." I turn back to the game, four siege-cards are approaching the Slytherin base in the hands of Hufflepuff and four cards are closing in on the Hufflepuff base held by Slytherins. "The 'Puffs are closer." The projections show both teams running as fast as they can. "Draco has been stunned." I say, surprise evident in my voice as the data comes in.

"But the whole team is heading towards the Slytherin base." Tonks says.

"Friendly fire." I mutter, looking at my bracer.

"That can happen?" Harry says. "Mutiny?" He laughs. I grin.

"He stunned himself." I say, looking up at the screen showing an unconscious Draco Malfoy. My smile gets wider. "You can use your own cards on yourself." Draco stands up and dusts himself off. "No fucking way."

"What?" Tonks says. "What's he doing?"

Draco strides out of the doorway and stands just outside the forcefield. I lean forward on the banister.

"Both teams have four cards." I quickly say. "Both teams are a mere 20 seconds from the opposing base. Only Draco isn't with his team."

The Hufflepuffs break the treeline and throw their cards without hesitation. One hits. Then the second. Then the third. The fourth one sails through the air, Draco jumps in its path and takes the card in place of the shield. On the other side of the pitch, the Slytherins use their cards to take out the shields and win the game. The stands are silent for the seconds that pass. Hufflepuff were closer, weren't they? I can't stay quiet and begin to cheer and flash all of the players into the centre.

"Amazing." I grin. "Blocking a siege-card with your body." I shake my head and laugh. "Absolutely amazing."

The crowd starts to cheer as they realise what happened.

"Timed it pretty well." A Slytherin says, Higgs or something. "A few seconds later and you wouldn't have made it." Malfoy looks something other than smug, almost proud.

"He had about 20 seconds after waking up." I poke the fluxline, disabling the equipment and the obstacles begin to shrink. "The headmaster has put the matches on par with Quidditch in terms of visitors, so some of your families showed up."

I cancel the wards that block foul play and a group moves across the pitch towards us. The players dump their equipment into a pile for me. Lucius takes Draco to the side for a 'post-game talk'. He looks happy with him. The Slytherin parents are more calm than the Hufflepuff group, squabbling young children, hugs, smiles and lots of hand waving. I hang my coat over my shoulder to stop myself over-heating. Phoenix travel resets the heating charms.

"Same time next week." I call out. "Ravenclaw and Slytherin. You won't be able to block the card again." I grin and flash back to Tonks in the stands. Freya looks older.

"All done?" Tonks asks.

"Yep. Got out of there before I was caught in the celebrations." I pull my coat back on. "You two hanging out today then?"

"We'll see you later." Tonks wraps her arms around my neck and pulls me in for a kiss. Freya flashes them both away. I get a mouthful of ash, I turn and cough onto Harry.

"Thanks for that." He releases Hermione's hand and brushes the ash off his shirt. "Just what I needed." He smooths his shirt out. "I'm cashing in that favour."

"Favour?" Hermione says. "I thought you said he'd do it."

"Well he has to if it's a favour." Harry shrugs.

"Where to?" I ask. "Paris? Berlin?" I pat the ashes from my coat.

"I thought you were limited to Britain." Harry says.

"It's probably safer." I admit. "You can still get back if I die or something."

"Are you planning on dying?" Hermione asks. I shrug non-committally.

"London's fine." Harry says.

"I'm heading to the Cauldron anyway." I hold out my arm, Harry grabs on and I land us in the alleyway. "Have a good date. I'll be inside in two hours time to pick you up."

I cross the threshold of the dank pub, the smell of liquor and sweat assault my nose as I walk.

"Wotcher, Tom." I greet the toothless barkeep. "Don't suppose you know where the offices of _Transfiguration Monthly _are do you?"

He pulls a piece of parchment from under the bar and draws a rings around one of the squares. A map of Diagon Alley.

"Just head straight forward and down here." I traces his finger along the street. "If you see cabbages, you've gone too far." He grins. I thanks him and head for the portal.

The magical alley is still busy, despite the lack on students. Perhaps there is a sale on dragon toenails. I move along with the crowd, glancing down at the map occasionally. I don't want to end up in a place where cabbages are considered a landmark. The thick crowds begin to wane as I exit the main street. A restaurant here and some kind of magical opticians are here. I look down at the unlabelled map, I think I'm in the right place.

I look around for a cabbage, not something I thought I would ever do for navigation. There is a row of doors standing side by side, normally these would open into the same space, but magic doesn't work like that. Each door has two handles, each handle is labelled twice. If I had to guess, I would say that each handle turns two ways, which in turn lead to two different locations. 'TRANSFIGURATION MONTHLY OFFICE' is labelled as a right twist on the left handle of one of the doors.

"These things are never simple." I mutter as I twist the handle.

The door opens inwards into a small reception area. A woman is sitting in one of the chairs reading the magazine, her eyes flick up at me briefly before returning to her reading. The only other person is the blonde receptionist, currently engrossed in a book. I cross the room and stand at the front desk. There is a list of staff members and pictures on the wall behind her.

"I'm here to see Dr. Anders." I read the chief editors name.

"Do you have an appointment?" She asks without looking up. Not a good impression for the face of a company. I decide to be mean and reactivate my 'veela sweat glands' to a tiny degree. Her head snaps up.

"No, sorry. Could you tell him I'm here?" I give her a winning smile. She nods and walks down a corridor, not looking away from me. The woman coughs in a poor attempt to cover up her giggles.

"Neat trick." She say, folding the magazine.

"I feel bad about doing that." I glance down the empty hallway and sit opposite the woman. "I hope she doesn't interrupt a meeting or anything. With any luck she wasn't affected and is just playing along." She laughs melodically.

"No, you definitely got her." She smiles.

The receptionist returns with Dr. Anders. "Mr. Jackson?" He says with wide eyes. I stand up and extend my hand to him.

"Dr. Anders, was it?" He nods.

"Just Luke, please." He shakes my hand eagerly. "My office is this way." He motions for me to follow him.

We reach the first corner which turns us into a hall way with windows as one wall. There are a few people scribbling away with quills and a few waving their wands, performing various transfigurations for photographs.

"In the early days most of our writers were freelance. Only recently have we gained enough subscriptions to keep them on full time." Luke explains. We reach the end of the corridor and enter his office.

It's fairly small, a desk in the middle and a few filing cabinets. It holds the strong scent of coffee.

"So," He says, sitting down. "To what do I owe this visit?"

"My transfiguration professor told me you didn't think I was human." I say plainly. He laughs.

"Oh, we meant nothing by it." I takes a sip of his drink. "We published that one after your little bout with the dragon. Nobody has any idea what your limits are." He looks at my ears, I retract them into my head. His eyes widen. "So effortless. Amazing." He breaths.

"I'm looking into the limits." I say. "I can grow runes on my skin and create veins straight from my heart to any point in my body." I set my hand alight using a rune of fire as an example. "I actually have two hearts. So there's that."

"They both function?" He marvels.

"Binary vascular system. I have them run at half the required speed so it matches a normal level of pumping. It works well." I extinguish my hand. "I can mimic the veela allure, it works on both genders. It's how I got your receptionist to get you. I think it's more magic than actual pheromones at this point though."

"Are you capable of the animagus transformation?" He asks with gleaming eyes.

"That's one of the reasons I'm here. I'm not sure what I can do with a complete animal body. I suspect I will have to hold my mind separately, as most animals can't hold a human brain." I say.

"Quite right." He says. "How much can you alter one part of your body? Your arms for example."

I flatten my fingers and form my right arm into a long spike of bone.

"Natural things like bone are easy enough." I return my hand to its normal state. "With enough power and concentration I can weave fabrics and have almost any liquid come from my pores."

"Fine control over calcium structures." He mutters as he scribbles onto some parchment. "And other chemicals? Corundum or aluminium oxide, various forms of silicon?"

"You're talking about gemstones?" I hadn't thought of that. He smiles. I look down at my hand. Creating bone is one thing, but making crystalline structures at an atomic level is another.

"Might I recommend carbon? You have an abundance to mimic in your own body."

Carbon. Diamond. A little push and a fizzle and my fingernails turn to diamond. The drain on my power is immediate

"Are you ok?" He asks, walking round the desk. I shake my head, trying to clear the fog.

"Fine, that kind of detail takes it out of me." I say. "Brilliant idea though. Maybe I will grow a large one in my kidney."

"One hell of a kidney stone." He laughs and sits back in his chair.

"I'm looking for someone. I don't like to sound obtuse, but I only know she is a vampire in the field of animagi research. I figure that cuts down on the potential candidates." I relax my hand, bringing back my normal fingernails.

"Oh, You passed her on the way in." He laughs. "She's here for an interview. Fancy the chances of that?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: The login servers were being strange so i couldn't post this one at the right time. Enjoy.**


	56. Chapter 56: Cassandra Brock

Chapter 56: Cassandra Brock

Luke directs me to the kitchen so I can make a drink, he is going to write up our encounter. The only facilities they have in the kitchen is a small heated ring and a kettle. I suppose writers survive on coffee alone. Opting for tea, I reach into my coat and withdraw a teabag.

"A curious thing to keep in your pocket." An amused voice says from the door. I cover the teabag in water and add milk.

"You never know when you might find yourself in need of an impromptu divination using tea leaves." Judging by the complete lack of sound as she entered, this must be the vampire. I turn to face her.

Beautiful doesn't quite cut it. I've heard that vampires go through an aesthetic transformation when turning, but I have no doubt that she was beautiful beforehand. Long dark hair, a deep red when the light catches it. Full red lips, piercing red eyes and no lack of womanly assets. She sits on the small table and crosses one leg over the other, eyeing me like a slab of meat. Meat full of blood.

"Tea?" I ask, turning and picking up another mug. When I turn back she is inches from my face. She appears to be smelling me. I take a sip of tea and smack my lips. "Zack Jackson." I offer. A smile spreads across her face.

"Cassandra Brock." She says. "Call me Cassy."

"McGonagall mentioned you might be able to teach me about animagi." I set down my tea. "I'm supposedly a bit of an enigma." Cassy looks at the ears on the top of my head, She appears beside me in a flash, gently touching them.

"Normally you would have to do the whole meditating to find out which animal you posses, then learn it's biology and after practising making copies from matchsticks or whatever, then you try it on yourself." She leans back on the counter. "But something tells me that you won't fall under the normal category."

"It's probably safe to assume that." I laugh. She produces a pen and a small book from nowhere.

"Not a vampire?" I shake my head. "Werewolf?" No again. "Some sort of veela?"

"No, but close."

"Any idea what form you could take?"

"My familiar is a phoenix, she has recently gained the ability to become human." Cassy looks up from her scribbles.

"I thought they were joking about that."

"Nope. We thought I might have gained her form as she did mine." I explain. "Can I ask you a question?" She nods. "I've been told you were an animagus before you turned. What was your form?"

"People usually ask about my vampirisim." She looks surprised. "I was a badger."

"A badger?" I blink. "You're a Brock, and a brocc?" ( Brocc is an old English word for badger. )

"Yeah, yeah. Very funny." She pouts. "The joke is older than you."

"A bat now?" I ask carefully, not wanting to be savaged. She twists on the spot and becomes a small bat. "Neat trick." I remove my coat and push out a pair of bat wings.

Cassy changes back and runs her hands along the new limbs. "Are they functional?"

"I think if I use a mix of magic and science I can fly with them. I can already fly and I doubt wings could match the speed." I pull the wings back and grow horns. "I could try changing into a bird. Besides humans, it's the animal I'm most familiar with." She nods.

"We can get a room at the Cauldron, so you don't have to strip in this place." She eyes the kitchen with disdain. A sly smile spreads across her face after seeing me hesitate. She steps towards me. "I won't bit." She leans towards my ear. "Unless you want me to." She turns and walks out the door. We leave the office and Cassy hits a man with the door on the way out. She begins to walk down the street.

"Stop looking at my arse." She says. I don't even try and defend myself.

"It's held up nicely all these years." I walk beside her.

"I know you're dying to ask." She says.

"How old are you?" I ask, genuinely curious.

"24."

"How long have you been that old?" She smiles at me.

"A while." She says as we enter the pub.

"I've got a room permanently under my name." I direct us towards the staircase.

"666?" She reads as we get to the room. "You're not going to try and stake me are you?" She looks amused.

"That depends on what you mean by stake." I open the door. "A friend of mine thought it would be funny to give me this room." Cassy closes the door behind her. "So, you can't be more than 300 if you were changed by a vampire."

"How so?" She looks fit to laugh.

"The term vampire wasn't coined until the mind 1700's, Dracula was it?" Cassy snorts.

"The fool. He was never one for subtlety, stupid boy." She says with disdain.

"So you were around before Dracula, and if Brock is your birth name ..." She nods. "You're from either England or Scotland. So lets go back 300 more. 1400's, Nicolas Flamel would have been about 40 and he creates his philosophers stone."

"One of them." She interjects. I throw my coat onto the bed and remove my tie.

"So pre-Flamel?" She nods. "There have been folk tales about 'blood-sucking demons' for millennia. I'd say closer to 900 years?"

"Very good." She smiles. "Little under a thousand."

"How does the whole sunlight thing work? Is that a myth? And the 'blood-sucking'?"

"It's not well known, but the older a vampire gets, the stronger they get. Sunlight burns the skins of the babies, I find it quite pleasant." She watches closely as I remove my shirt. "Drinking blood lessens the sun damage for the children. Blood taste varies between people. I find myself quite partial to veela for whatever reason."

I kick my shoes off and remove my socks. "A red-tailed hawk." I say, sitting on the floor. "Fix me if anything happens." I close my eyes. "Keep talking. What's it like, drinking blood?" I ask as I begin to prepare my body.

"There is always the thirst, an insatiable lust for blood." She says. "Newborns find it hard to control, but it's all practice. The build-up to the initial bite is full of adrenaline right up to the point when your teeth break the skin." She swallows loudly and her voice considerably deeper. "My saliva contains a numbing chemical, so the bite doesn't hurt. It takes almost no time before the blood reaches my tongue and the taste. Unique for each person, indescribable. The rush sets in and it makes it almost impossible to withdraw until you've drank every. Last. Drop."

I open my eyes and notice that I'm a lot lower down. I've turned into a bird.

"Impressive." She says.

I spread my wings wide and inspect them. The feathers are all in perfect detail and in the right place. My organs are working correctly. I let out a triumphant squawk. I focus on my feathers and push hard. They begin to turn black, starting at the tips and working down.

"Nobody can alter their forms." Cassy crouches down next to me.

I shift some veins around, creating runes under my feathers.

"I'll be the first then." I say smugly. She recoils backwards.

"You spoke!" Her eyes wide. "Birds don't speak!"

"Simple runes that send my thoughts into an audible sound." I grow a bit bigger. "My familiar, Freya, used to be a red-tailed hawk."

"You can morph your animagus form." Cassy stares at me in awe. She shakes her head abruptly. "You've retained your mind."

"This pea-brain certainly wouldn't hold an interesting conversation." I say. "I've only got it to control the muscles correctly. A false subconscious for the body."

"Where are you?"

I laugh. "I've got no idea, but it's working somehow." I spin on the spot and return to my human form. "Well. That wasn't too bad."

"For you maybe." She grumbles. I look at her to see that she is breathing heavily and is clearly uncomfortable.

"It was the blood wasn't it? I shouldn't have asked." I rake my fingers through my hair and sit on the end of the bed. "Are you going to be ok?" She nods but doesn't talk. "I admit I'm curious as to how it feels." Her eyes snap open.

"Being fed from?" Her eyes go wide. I shrug.

"It'll be a learning experience. I have way more blood than I need anyway." I tap my chest. "You can add a metamorph to your list." She beams at me.

"Fuck it." She tears her dress off and straddles my lap, pushing me back against the bed with a kiss. She moans as I trail kisses along her neck. "I'm supposed to be doing that." She kisses my neck to numb it before sinking her teeth in and greedily drinking my blood.

It's an odd feeling. Since the Umbridge incident I've become aware of the amount of blood that I usually have and I now keep much more in my body. I can lose a lot more before blacking out. The added bonus of having her body pressed against mine makes the whole scenario rather enjoyable. I have to grab her neck and push her away to stop her from draining me dry. She falls onto the bed beside me, panting heavily and covered in blood.

"Thank you for stopping me." She breathes. "I would have sucked you dry. That taste ..." She trails off, running a finger across her bare breast and licking the blood.

"I'm not really one for the taste of blood, so clean yourself up for round two."

* * *

><p>"It's rare to find someone that can keep up with me." Cassy says, her head leaning on my chest. "Your heartbeat is strange."<p>

"I'm told that a lot." I laugh.

"I knew them, you know. The founders." She says. "Helga and I were like sisters. We became animagi together. It was awful seeing her age."

"How'd she take it when you were turned?"

"I wasn't turned." She sighs.

"I don't follow." I say, stroking her hair.

"I was born with it in my blood. Back then, vampires weren't a thing. The tales came from actual blood-sucking demons. They mated with humans, witches to be precise and made what people know of today as vampires. More or less."

"More or less?" I ask.

"Those demons were hunted and wiped out by Myrddin. Nobody knows the exact number of offspring, but I was one of them. I hit 24 and just … stopped being human." She sighs.

"So you're what, an original one?" She laughs.

"Something like that. You taste like them, Merlin and Morgana." She says.

"Shit, I forgot about Harry and Hermione." I leap out of bed. "_Tempus_." 3:50. I sigh in relief. "Enough time to get dressed." I slowly pick my clothes up. "What were they like?"

"Godric was a handsome man, a leader. Salazar was more reserved, he believed that muggleborn children should be taken from their families for their safety. He was a good man."

"Not the evil type he's made out to be?" I ask, surprised. Cassy shakes her head.

"Sadly I can't set that straight without revealing myself." She sighs. "Helga and I grew up together. Rowena." She smirks. "The things that woman could do with her fingers." I throw my head back and laugh.

"and Merlin? Morgana?" I see her hesitate. "I've met them. 'Nick and Perenelle' if you prefer."

"Oh? I didn't think they were in the habit of revealing that side of them." I shrug.

"I don't think he meant to." I stop myself. "What am I saying? Of course he meant to. I couldn't have done that if he didn't want me to." Cassy giggles.

"Of course. He raised me after he killed my demon-father. My mother didn't live through my birth."

"Raised you?" She nods.

"The two of them were parents to us all. I was the unofficial 'founder' so to speak. Rowena, Salazar and Godric came along when they were about 11 and joined in our little family."

"So why isn't there a Brock house?" I ask.

"I wasn't a teacher." She says simply. "Each of them had their own area at which they excelled. I have a blanket coverage of many subjects. Jack of all trades, master of none."

"And these days it's transfiguration?" She nods.

"Go get your friends. I don't think he can stay much longer unmolested by the crowds."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: My philosopher stones are a power one that Zack is due to make will fuse nitrogen together and banish the resulting matter. Zack can use this power for just about anything he needs. Flying, transmutes ( which means lots of gold ) and he will be able to make the elixir of life. Not to get into it too much, but the elixir turns back your body clock. 150 years old? Drink 100 small vials and you're 50 again. Drink it once a year and you will live for ever. Serious injury? Drink the elixir and you are not injured. **

**Once i settled on how i want it to work in this fic, i realised that Zack is going to be around for a long time and this means that he will likely bring a lady along for the ride, but could Zack remain sane with only one woman for the rest of time? Probably not, so who better to join that gang than an original vampire?**

**Enjoy.**


	57. Chapter 57: An encounter in the library

Chapter 57: An encounter in the library

I see Harry and Hermione sitting at a table as I reach the bottom of the stairs.

"Four o'clock on the dot." I say, glancing at my wrist. "Or freckle in this case."

"Have you been fighting?" Harry asks.

"No?" I say uncertainly.

"Your shirt is torn and you smell of blood." Hermione says. "But your tie is straight." She leans back in her chair. "He's not been fighting." She announces.

"Did I miss something?" Harry says, looking over me, clearly confused.

"Just a little run in with a vampire." I say nonchalantly.

"A vampire?" Tonks appears from beside me, she twists my head to get a better view of my neck.

"I'm fine." I insist. "It wasn't that kind of run in." I gesture to my clothes. Tonks blinks, then grins.

"A vampire?" She looks over my clothes. "How was it?"

"A gentleman doesn't tell." I say, pulling on my coat. Tonks snorts.

"Then you will have no trouble telling us." She smirks. I try and cover my smile with a scowl, badly.

"It was pretty awesome." I wrap my arms around Tonks. "Are you working next weekend?" She presses her forehead to mine.

"Everyday for the next fortnight." She says sadly. "I have that Sunday off though." She kisses me softly.

"I'll see you then." I kiss her again and we break apart so I can take Harry and Hermione back. I land us just outside the Great Hall. They both look at me. "What?" I touch my face, everything seems to be in order.

"Are you a vampire?" Harry asks. I sigh dramatically.

"You've caught me." I lift the end of my coat over the bottom my face. "I vant to suck your blood!" I wiggle my fingers at him. They look at each other.

"He's fine." Harry says. "She didn't bite you then?"

"She did bite me, drank a fair bit of blood and said it was tasty." I say. "It was a bit surreal really."

"Shouldn't you be a vampire then?" He asks. I shrug.

"I don't know how it works, but I'm fairly certain that she would have told me if she was about to change me. If I start eating black pudding and taking my steak raw, feel free to stab me with a chair leg or something."

"Yep, He's fine." Hermione says, leading Harry away by the hand.

Still about an hour until lunch, I flash to the gargoyle that guards the headmasters office.

"Uh, could you ask Albus if I can go up?" I say to the rock. Being made of stone, it doesn't respond. "Right." I lean against the wall. The gargoyle slides to the side and the staircase descends. "Uh, thanks." I walk up the stairs and knock on the heavy door.

"Come in, Zack." A faint voice says. I push t he door open. "Right on time." Albus says as I walk inside. McGonagall and Snape are standing on his side of the desk.

"On time, sir?" I ask.

"Did young Ms. Turpin not deliver my message?"

"Er, no? Am I in trouble?"

"You just came here on your own accord?" McGonagall asks.

"I actually came to ask for some advice." I say. "You first." Dumbledore exchanges a look with McGonagall.

"Professor McGonagall has informed me of you interest in becoming an animagus. You of course know that you must register your form with the Ministry?" I snort.

"I remember a certain group of students that didn't register about 20 years ago." I say, mimicking the twinkle. "But alas, I cannot become an animagus." I spin on the spot and turn into the red-tailed hawk. "and only animagi transformations must be registered."

"You … but ..." Snape splutters and turns to his colleagues, who are equally shocked. I spin back into a human.

"I'm a metamorph. I'm not limited to one animal it would seem." I say. "I was coming here to ask for your opinion. I'm already registered as metamorph ..."

"So there is no need to inform them of the limits of your abilities." Albus nods, eyes on maximum twinkle. "Marvellous attention to detail." He says. I switch back and sit on his desk. McGonagall inspects me closely.

"I learnt the anatomy of Freya a long time ago to help me make better wings." I say using the runes.

"Is she similar to a hawk?" McGonagall asks. I look at Albus, who seems to understand me.

"Close enough." I say, hopping off the desk and landing as a human. "I was going to go to the library, I hope a couple of books have enough detail for me. I don't fancy having to cut up the animals to learn about them. A muggle bookshop would be better."

"Due to the … legality of being an animagus, we keep the anatomy books in the restricted section." McGonagall says.

"To keep out prying students." Snape says.

Albus writes out a note to allow me access to the restricted section. More to keep me unbothered by staff, rather than to allow me access.

"Thanks, Albus." I fold the note and put it in a coat pocket. McGonagall arches an eyebrow and looks at the headmaster. "Er, I mean Professor Dumbledore."

"May I enquire as to what animal you wish to research first?" Dumbledore asks.

"I was thinking a snake. I'm wondering how parseltongue works." I flash myself to the entrance of the library. I hand my note to Madam Pince, who eyes in carefully.

"Don't make a mess." She says quietly.

"I shall endeavour not to." I mutter, walking towards the darker section of the library.

I open the door, which reacts to my touch. Clearly I'm on the ward list as 'allowed' now. The map says the anatomy book are at the far end, why they are not in alphabetical order, I don't know. I light up a small flame on my finger tip to light the way, no magical torches or candles here. I hear moaning as I get closer to my destination. Soft and feminine. Either there are at least two other people here, or someone has a wild book fetish. Maybe Hermione. Two blonde girls. One sitting on the desk, back against the books I'm after and the other kissing and touching her.

"Uh, I need those books." I say. The girl that isn't sitting whirls round to face me. A very red-faced Daphne Greengrass.

"Hello, Zack." An ethereal voice says.

"Afternoon, Luna." I say as if we were merely standing around. "I would have worked around the two of you, but I need those ones right behind you." Luna hops of the desk and does one button of her blouse back up.

"Anatomy textbooks?" She asks.

"Anything I know I can morph into." I turn into the hawk briefly as an example. "I'm here to learn more."

"You are a very pretty bird." Luna says.

"Uh, thanks?" I open a random page in the mammals book. "A direwolf eh?"

"You'd better not tell anyone about us." Daphne says, probably pointing her wand at my back.

"Luna, you'll never guess what I saw in the library earlier." I say dramatically. "Luna Lovegood and Daphne Greengrass snogging. Why in here by the way? Surely there are better places." I read the titles from the books.

"We're not actually supposed to be in here." Daphne says. "You're sure he won't tell anyone?" She sounds worried.

"On my life, soul and magic. I do so swear that I won't reveal your secret to anyone or anything, living or otherwise without the express permission of those currently known as Luna Lovegood and Daphne Greengrass. The exception to this rule is Freya the phoenix as she already knows. Should the secret become what any of us deem as 'well known' this oath will break." I turn to her and hold out my hand. "So mote it be?" Daphne looks at me in shock. Luna shakes my hand.

"So mote it be." She says. "That was very thoughtful of you." I shrug and turn back to the books.

"I don't think Daphne would trust me if I didn't." I pick up a book on fish. I don't really want to get into that yet. "So you came here in search of a magical creature?"

"I suspect Daphne suggested here in an attempt to seduce me." Luna says.

"Worked out alright, didn't it?" I laugh. "These books don't actually have measurements. Just comparisons to other parts of the animal." I tuck the book into my coat anyway. "I'll probably end up as a horse-sized mouse."

"You just swore on your soul." Daphne says, recovering from the shock.

"Hmm? Oh, that was more of a spur of the moment thing. I think it tied Freya's tongue so she won't tell anyone." I explain.

"Can you turn into a crumple-horned snorkack?" Luna asks me.

"Not without knowing every part of its body. I don't know if I can do magical creatures yet." I pick up a book intended for wizarding vets. Dragons and unicorns. "I think I will go to a muggle zoo and have a look at how they move in real life." I look at the girls. "You two uh get back to whatever, I'll see you later I suppose." I hastily make my exit.

* * *

><p>Now that all of the Ravenclaw first years know their way to breakfast, I can stay in bed longer. I've sorely missed the extra half-hour in the mornings.<p>

"Is that your wand, or are you just pleased to see me?" Strange. I don't remember sleeping with anyone. "It's me you berk." Freya.

"Morning." I pull her closer as she snuggles against me. "You're nice and warm."

"You don't have to worry about phoenix babies. We just slept." She laughs.

"Read my mind." I rub my eyes. "Literally." She giggles.

"If you get dressed quickly we can have one of those strange events that you seem to find yourself in." She says, breaking from my arms.

"Does it involve scantly clad women?" I push myself into a sitting position.

"Not this time." Freya hops whilst pulling her jeans on.

"Somebody needs to invent charms for putting on clothes." I grumble from inside my shirt.

"Maybe you could." She says, forgoing a bra. "Hurry up or we're going to miss it."

"I'm ready. What's going on anyway?" I button my waistcoat up. Freya takes my hand and flashes us somewhere in the castle. Somebody walks into me.

"What in -" He stops. I turn around.

"Horace." I blink. Horace Slughorn is standing right in front of me. My brain takes a moment to restart. "Ah, my apologies, sir." I pick up the book he was carrying.

"Not at all, I wasn't watching." He accepts his book and gestures for us to walk. "I daresay we don't want to miss breakfast, do we?"

"Not at all."

"May I ask how you recognised me?" He says. "I admit I have been a bit of a hermit these past few years."

"Your photo is around the school." I lie smoothly as we approach the Great Hall. "Are you here visiting someone?" I ask.

"You will find out shortly." He pats my shoulder with a smile as we walk through the doorway. He walks up to then staff table and a minute later Albus stands up.

"Your attention please." He says. The hall quietens and turns to face him. "As you know, Professor Moody has graciously filled the position for the past month during our search for a permanent staff member." He holds his hand up for silence as the whispers break out. "It is my pleasure to introduce our new potions professor. A warm welcome for Professor Slughorn, please." The hall politely claps, most people are confused about the potions though.

"A galleon says Snape for DADA." I whisper to Harry, who pales. We turn back to the announcement.

"Professor Snape will now be taking your defence classes." A round of applause from the Slytherin table and half-hearted clapping from the rest.

Harry deposits a galleon in my hand. "I feel cheated. You came in the door being patted on the shoulder."

"He had a potions book." I shrug. "Used to teach potions here before Snape took over. Excluding muggleborns, he would have taught most peoples parents here." I spin the galleon on the table, it continues to spin as I eat.

"Eating for two?" Harry asks. I'm actually speeding my metabolism up to get as much energy from the food as possible to grow the gem.

"I had a busy day yesterday." I shrug and lean forward. "Fancy seeing Snuffles this weekend? The old dog is probably bored out of his mind." Harry eagerly nods.


	58. Chapter 58: More Delacour

Chapter 58: More Delacour

I bump into Harry and Hermione in the hallways after their first potions lesson with Slughorn on Wednesday.

"So, Any chance of you passing without Snape teaching?" I joke.

"I'm not _that _bad at potions." He says. "Snape would just never mark my work properly. If it wasn't perfect then it wasn't worth it."

"He must hold you in high regard to compare your work to perfection." I say. "How bad do you reckon Snape will be tomorrow?"

"If we're lucky, awful." He says as we head for lunch.

I toy around with my hand, fine tuning the bones inside the wolf paw. A direwolf is a much heavier and sturdier wolf. Muggles have called an extinct breed of wolf by the same name. Magical direwolves, while still rare, are still around today. Huge things from what the books say. Rumour has it that goblins were fond of breeding them as war mounts as they were more than capable of carrying a goblin in full armour around.

"How close are you to finishing the wolf?" Hermione asks, inspecting my paw.

"I could do it now. The teeth are the last bit I have to do, I don't think the staff would appreciate me transforming into a huge wolf in the corridors." I tell her.

"How big is it?"

"Normally they are the size of a small horse, but the alpha males are even bigger. I'm aiming for that size, maybe larger." I whip my hand back to normal when we sit down for lunch.

* * *

><p>After breakfast on Saturday, I sneak into the Gryffindor common room disguised as a young Sirius Black. I flop down on the sofa opposite Harry and Hermione.<p>

"Wotcher." I grin.

"Zack?" Hermione's eyes widen. "How did you get in here?" I wave my hand dismissively.

"Time travel." I say simply. "Ready to see uh … me?"

"What?" Harry shakes his head. "We already know it's you."

"_They _don't though." I nod towards the general masses. Ginny sits on the arm of the sofa. "We flaming straight out of here?" I ask. "Or do we want to be subtle?"

"You're possibly the _least _subtle person on Earth." She says dryly. I laugh and morph back.

"Might as well go just outside the common room." Harry says. The couple follow me out.

"Just pray that Albus isn't there. He won't like you not being in school." I say as the grab my outstretched arm. We land in the hallway of Grimmauld place and I walk in to the kitchen whilst the other two recover. "Wotcher."

"Morning." Sirius says grumpily, without looking up from his paper.

"That's no way to greet guests." I say, walking over to his fridge.

"What?" He turns to the door. "Harry!" He pulls his godson into a hug. "Why are you here? Is Hogwarts under attack?"

"Zack offered to bring us." Harry explains, looking around. "Professor Dumbledore isn't here, is he?" Sirius laughs.

"That kind of visit, eh?" He says knowingly. He hugs the couple again.

"Anyone else here?" I ask.

"Moony is sleeping off last night's moon and Fleur just got back from guard duty." He says.

"Guard duty?" Harry asks. "Guarding what?"

"Er." Sirius scratches his beard.

"I'll leave you three to figure this out." I laugh. "I'll go somewhere less tense." I head up the stairs and knock on Fleur's door.

"Come in." She calls. I open the door and her allure hits me like a wave, I flick mine on as I close the door.

"Bonjour." I say with no attempt at a French accent.

"Zack!" She rushes across the room into my arms. "I've missed you."

"Sirius says you were on guard duty?" I say. She starts to splutter about nothing. "It's fine, I'm not in the Order, you can't tell me. I get it."

"I'm surprised you don't know already." She says. I grin.

"Big black door? Department of Mysteries?" Her eyes widen. "Nope. Nothing of the sort."

"I'm not even going to ask." She sighs against my chest.

"I was thinking of going to a zoo today."

"Oh?" She looks up at me.

"Zoo de La Fleche. Maybe look at getting another wand made."

"You want to go to France?"

"Your wand was made there and I can't legally have another British wand." I shrug. "We could see your family and be back before dinner." She picks up her coat.

"Won't they know we've gone?" She asks anxiously looking at the door. I open the door and paint 'Do not disturb' on the door and add an array of obvious privacy charms before sealing the door shut

"Better?" I offer my elbow to her.

"The perfect cover." She smiles and takes my arm.

"Focus on where you want to land. I've got no idea where anything is in France, so this will be interesting."

"Where's Freya?"

"In Iceland right now." I say. "Maybe the French Ministry? It'll be polite if I let them know I'm there." She screws her eyes shut.

"Ok, go."

Moments later we appear in the French Ministry of Magic's foreign arrival point with wand pointed at us.

"That's the furthest I've ever done that. London to Paris is probably further than Scotland to London." I look over our bodies to make sure we are whole.

"Fleur!" A man calls out, sweeping her into a hug. I look around at the Aurors wands.

"Er, I'm with them." I say, pointing to Fleur and Jean.

He calls out something in French and they lower their wands. "Sorry about that." He says to me. "A flash of fire isn't an everyday occurrence." He laughs.

"Understandable." I say. "Good response time though. I'm sure if I was alone I'd be in a holding cell by now."

"What brings the two of you here?" He asks as we walk through the building.

"I wanted to go to the zoo." I say. "and I'm not allowed to get another wand in Britain without Ministry approval, and they don't like me a lot right now."

"You're always welcome here." He says. "We have a few wand makers here in the building, they mainly work on replacements for Aurors."

"Who was it that made Fleur's wand?" I ask. "Not that there's anything wrong with your people, I'd prefer to have it custom built."

"He's a bit of a recluse these days." Jean says uncomfortably. "He actually offered to make Fleur and Gabrielle's specifically. I will see if he answer his floo." We arrive at his office a minute later.

"So good to see you again." A man says, sitting in the guest chair opposite Jean's desk. 'Perenelle' is sitting on the desk with her feet on the chair beside Nick. Jean laughs.

"I know better than to ask how you got in here." He says.

"Rumour has it that you are after a new wand." Nick says to me.

"I even brought a feather for you." I hand him Freya's brilliant blue feather. He carefully puts it in his pocket and pulls out a long wand box.

"I'm sure it will work well." He says. Confused, I open the box.

"A wand." I lift it out and immediately feel the warmth spread down my arm. "It's got the same feather I just gave you." I twirl it between my fingers.

"I wonder how that could have gotten in there?" Perenelle says with a wide grin.

"Walnut again?" I ask, using the new wand to conjure an intricately engraved glass.

"It seems to respond well to you." He peels back his sleeve and glances at his wrist. "Well, we'd best be going. Enjoy the wand." He says. The two of them walk straight through the door.

"That was weird, wasn't it?" I ask. Fleur nods.

"He's an odd man." Jean says. "Do come over for dinner, your mother misses you."

"Oui." Fleur says, kissing her father on the cheek before taking my hand. "The exit is this way."

* * *

><p>After visiting the zoo we head to the Delacour mansion for a family reunion of sorts. Appoline insisted on cooking, so the house-elves went about there cleaning grudgingly. Freya came along to show off her new form.<p>

"You're more than welcome to watch the game tomorrow." I offer. They were very interested in the cards.

"Will you be playing along side your house?" Jean asks. I shake my head.

"No offence to the players, but they haven't thrown the thousands I had to whilst building the charms, it would be unfair. I much prefer to be the judge anyway, I'm not really a sportsman."

"He's being too modest." Freya says. "He could kick our arses with one hand behind his back. Everyone else just needs more practice."

"You're more than welcome to stay the night and we can go to England to watch tomorrow." Appoline says.

"I should probably – actually, Freya can you take Harry and Hermione back to school?" She nods.

"I'll tell them you're busy." She smirks and vanishes.

"This is the first time I've been to France." I say. "First time out of the UK actually. I was surprised we actually made it here." I laugh.

"What do you mean?"

"I can only flash to places I've been, but I used Fleur's thoughts as the destination. It worked, obviously, but we could have ended up on the moon." I sip my drink. "The moon." I repeat, smiling. "Now _there's _an idea."

"You want to go to the moon?" Gabby asks.

"Wizards on the moon." I say with a smile. I shake my head. "Maybe next week." Jean looks uncomfortable.

"I'm by no mean the most learned in this subject, but old stories claim that the darkest evils live on the moon." He says. "We may have some books in the library about it."

"Darkest evils?" I say as we walk through the manor.

"What you must remember is that Earth was not always this way. Demons once roamed the land, They came in all shapes and sizes. Demon-hunters were the only thing that kept them at bay, mercenaries of sorts. Kings, Lords, Pharaohs. They would pay handsomely for their services." He explains. "No normal man could hunt them, it fell to witches and wizards. They have been forgotten and mostly removed from history, although a few tales have spread far and wide, dismissed as mere myth now."

"I've only heard of one type of demon and Merlin rid the Earth of those." I say. Jean mutters something in French, probably curse words.

"Merlin was said to be the last Great Paladin." He says. "Not the holy followers of God, mind you, but a man who fought demons, not for money, but because it was right."

"Defend the innocents?" I say. He nods. "Sounds like Merlin's thing." He laugh as he opens the library door.

"Legend has it that Merlin caught the 'trend' on it's down swing. Most of the bigger demon types has already been wiped out." He picks a book from a dark shelf. "Far be it for me to belittle his actions, nobody really knows what he was fighting, I just mean that the physically big ones were gone."

"So they come form the moon? Or are they banished to the moon? Wouldn't Merlin have wiped them off the moon?" I ask.

"Despite the power than Merlin wielded, he was but one man." Jean slides the book to me. "It just says that there are demons on the moon. Whether it's a prison or a breeding ground, we don't know. I heard that anything the muggles send to the moon is equip with some of the strongest enchantments and wards that the ICW can muster."

"Not a pleasant place to visit I see." The book makes it out to be hell, literally hell. "I'm sure it'll be fine." I snap the book shut.

"You're still going to try?" His eyes fly wide open.

"I'll talk it over with some people. If there is a chance that I will unlock some sort of demonic prison, then I won't go." I shrug.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: A peek at what's to come, demons and all that jazz. The updates might come a bit slower as i've not read a single piece of fanfiction since i've started this story. Enjoy.**


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